Kingdom Come

Consistent with the definition of father, a son is defined as a later generation who shares the likeness of the father.

A true son is distinguished from a bastard not by the legal status of the mother, but solely by the decision of the father to accept or reject the son, often based on the father’s perception of the son’s likeness to himself.

A true son is characterized by the discipline and training he is willing to endure to make him capable of carrying out his father’s wishes and legacy.  If you are familiar with the television series Breaking Bad, you should recognize this principle underlying Jesse’s characterization. He does not share or practice his birth father’s values, which results in his father legally terminating their familial relationship.

Despite being in constant emotional conflict with another authority figure, a former high school teacher, he continues to address him respectfully as “Mr. White” and models his own behavior on his. Jesse’s character development is encapsulated in a brusque comment made by Mr. White on a test paper that Jesse kept among his few belongings – “Apply yourself!” which we hear Jesse repeat to his own subordinates later in time. Clearly Jesse took to heart the instructions, and endured constant berating and even abuse and exploitation, because he believed that Mr. White, unlike his birth father, recognized, valued and developed his potential.

Be ye therefore perfect / completely, faithfully reproducing the original, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5) 

The primary likeness to the father is the son’s commitment to the family. This is demonstrated in the account of Lot, who was Abram’s logical heir. But Lot’s self- interests caused him to separate out from his uncle Abram’s family business, losing his executive position.

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country…unto a land that I will shew thee…and Lot his brother’s son…and into the land of Canaan they came…And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land…And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee…for we be brethren…separate thyself, I pray thee, from me.” (Genesis 12-13)

When we make the connection between the Apostle Paul’s doctrine and his extraction of that doctrine from Israel’s history we should get blown away by how down to earth Almighty God has always been in his dealing with mankind – working through mankind! Extract the examples in Jesus Christ’s matrilinear heritage.

Tamar – a despised woman from the vile pagan Canaanite nation taken into the household of God Almighty / YHVH by Judah, son of Jacob, who consequently is designated to be the Father of the Jews.

Rahab – a despised harlot from the vile pagan Canaanite city of Jericho taken into the household of God Almighty – along with her family – by her rescuer from the total annihilation of Jericho. who, according to the custom of the times, united with her in marriage to finalize her rescue from death unto life, not as a “picture of Christ and his bride” but as the template!

Ruth – a despised woman from the sexually perverse Moabite nation taken into the household of God Almighty by Boaz, the mixed breed son of Rahab and her Jewish husband,despite assuredly knowing the ostracism he would face from the pure-bred Jews for mixing it up.

Bathsheba – a despised Hittite by virtue of marrying one, doubly despised by being blamed for causing King David’s downfall, taken into the royal household when David acknowledged his sin against her and the nation he ruled, manned up to his responsibility to provide for her by marrying her, and ensured she had a son to care for her when he wasn’t around to protect her from the rest of the harem. 

“Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and…And I gave thee thy master’s house[hold of servants and soldiers making you prosperous], and thy master’s wives into thy bosom…Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife…Now therefore… Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour…And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, [there will be consequences] the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die…David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth…And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died… [Did David curse God? No.] Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and…comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved /identified with him. And he [the LORD] sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah / Loved By The LORD.”  II Samuel 12)

That Son of David was chosen by God Almighty to carry his name, image, and likeness of his eternal kingdom as the Chosen Heir / likeness of “David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” (Acts 13:22)

How’s that?! David the adulterer and murderer??

Stop thinking that the will of God is to be perfect / sinless in behavior, and take God at his word that his will is to be perfect / complete “in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but…the righteousness which is of God by faith…this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let…as many as be perfect, be thus minded: Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation…For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As…the servants of God.” (I Peter 2:12-16)

David was “thus minded” regarding the “high calling of God in His Chosen Savior”. It wasn’t about him at all! He heard what God’s messenger had told him – his affair with Bathsheba had given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to wreck the LORD’s reputation! “See, YHVH is no different from all the other nations’ gods! He blesses the powerful and oppresses the rest of us.”

And David’s response to God’s message was not just accepting the death of his son. Get it?!

His essential response was to mind meld with his Judge.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether…by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand / recognize his [own] errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” (Psalm 19:7-13)

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus [not only YHVH’s most recent Chosen Savior, but in historic chosen deliverers from Egyptian bondage, Canaanite wars, internal civil rebellion]: Who, being in the form of God [as all priest, kings and prophets were in the age of acknowledged spirit entities and humanists are today], thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of [ordinary men without royal resources to accomplish personal goals against all that was legal or morally acceptable]: (Philippians 2)

How many peccadillos have been covered up by abortions abandonment by the birth parent, do you think? David could have brushed this whole embarrassing and reputation-staining incident off his public record by seizing the advantage from the fortuitous death of the tell-tale evidence. The gossip mill of the harem would have broadcast on the streets faster than Twitter. “Oh no way that Bathsheba’s kid belongs to her husband Uriah – he’s a Hittite, Indo-European, White for heaven’s sake! but that kid has a Jewish nose if ever I saw one. Plus the timing is off. I don’t care if they claim that Uriah popped back to Jerusalem from Rabbah for a couple of days, the entire King’s Guard swears that he never left the barracks so he can’t be the father. And then the King marries her the second she’s a widow? Wake up and smell the coffee!”

But instead, David does the complete opposite. He feeds the rumor mill by guaranteeing that Bathsheba, the latest and lowest member of his harem, has a child to replace her first born, and this one conceived in the harem absolutely guaranteed to be David’s, stamping her first child as David’s as well.

The first signs of new life in a mother’s womb is still called “quickening”.

And you [Solomon] hath he quickened / brought to life through relationship who were dead / isolated from the sources of life in trespasses and sins; 

But restoring Bathsheba’s child, her joy in life, her reason for living, her social interactions within the harem forced to acknowledge her status and value to the King was not all baby showers and cuddles. Giving life to Bathsheba and her son drained the life out of David.

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death [of his son by Bathsheba], even the death of the cross [a slow, suffocatingly agonizing death by degrees experienced by David as “the sword shall never depart from thine house; I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house” (Philippians 2:4-8)

 ^“And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, And his second, Chileab, and the third, Absalom, And the fourth, Adonijah, and the fifth, Shephatiah, And the sixth, Ithream. These were born to David in Hebron (to six  wives).

Amnon was assassinated by his younger brother Absalom for raping then discarding Absalom’s sister Tamar.

Absalom was executed by David’s top general Joab for inciting civil war to usurp David’s throne.

Adonijah was executed by Solomon for failing to live up to the terms of his probation. after Adonijah replaced Absalom in David’s grieving heart and in rebellion as well (go figure a man’s affection for his sons!) 

David’s sons rebelled against his leadership, and he spent the rest of his reign in gut-wrenching suicidal grief over the loss of relationships and lives of three other cherished sons. ” O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (II Samuel 18:33)

And it broke him. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

But hold up! If sonship is bestowed by the father, didn’t David just acknowledging his rebellious son Absalom as his own even though it meant simply overlooking his defiance?

Ah, no. David is more likely acknowledging his likeness to Absalom’s rebellion against God the Father. David’s broken heart was a also a contrite heart, proven by David taking the blame for the tragedy. It was in fact, David crossing the line in his lust for a fresh sexual encounter that tripped the wire that triggered his entire family blowing up. How many parents are willing to face how our behaviors and choices twisted our children’s character?

In any case, David could not decree Absalom to be his son / heir because he was dead. Until the son receives his inheritance, which includes authority to make his own decisions and power to execute his own will on the family holdings, his submission to his father is no different from that of a servant.

“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.” (Galatians 4:1-2)

Being “spun off” as hyperdimensional beings from the Singularity or inviting God’s Spirit to come into your physical body because you want the power and quality of life he brings with him does not automatically qualify one to be as a son of God.

The essential likeness is the ability to impose order, following the Laws of Physics and controlling the Energy of E=mc2.

Another way to phrase this is being right-eousness – doing things the right way. 

Any being who doesn’t do things the right way causes destruction. 

Only the ones who use their power in unity with the Creator to make and maintain life are chosen, by him, to be his son. Those who separate themselves from him by destroying his Creation and causing death are most certainly not his sons.

Joab was also executed by Solomon after “Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom.” This should be understood to be the utmost betrayal experienced by David. Joab was David’s topmost general, in essence equivalent to David’s sons. Think Jonathan’s leadership of his father King Saul’s army, which was turned over to David when he proved himself  peerless.

And David reigned over all Israel…And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host…and David’s sons were chief rulers.” (II Samuel 8:15-18)

Joab’s stature can be measured by the fact that his name is not listed among David’s 36 most valiant men (37 counting the deceased Uriah the Hittite) among whom we find such superheroes as:

“Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time” and “Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they [just the four of them] defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He [Eleazar did not bug out but] arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword…And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop…and the people fled from the Philistines…But he [alone] stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines.”

Then there are Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three . And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three [deducing from the account that the modern military team of four men serving as a base-of-fire or as a maneuver element consisted only of three men at that time]… therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto [did not reach the heroic exploits of] the first three. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab…and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: And he slew an Egyptian [top warriors of the day]…he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

Impressive! If it took Ben’s qualifications to be the head of the King’s bodyguard what on earth did Joab do to qualify to be the top general of the entire army?

“So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together…Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold [verbal cue of a Mediterranean dramatic hand gesture and raised vocal volume to emphazine a point]!, we are thy bone and thy flesh[quoting what must have been a standing proverb of what Adam said to his clone / wife – utterly united, one family as created in marriage].

And moreover [after all, let’s be honest, face facts] in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out [to battle] and broughtest in [to peace and prosperity] Israel [who else can better protect us?] Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel…

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus…And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle [fortress at the heart of Jerusalem] of Zion, which is the city [permanent center of civic life unlike a rural village] of David.

How did he do it? Did take on a champion as he had so successfully accomplished with Goliath of Gath? Nope. The Jebusites were wise to that strategy. They just locked themselves in to their impregnable fortress.

So did David rock climb like rock star Prince Jonathan? 

Nooo. That war legend was also well rehearsed by all the neighoring people. No, that was far too risky a venture for the head honcho. Once you lose the king, game over. David challenged his warriors to risk their lives against the hyper alert watchguards.

“Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.” (I Chronicle 11:1-6)

When we keep the entire narrative in mind we can read Joab’s mind. Substitute names to bring Joab’s thought processes to light.

“When _____ was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel. Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king…and _____made a covenant with them…and they anointed ________ king over Israel.

This is not a conspiracy theory. This is the way of the world, and Joab’s life story plays out to prove that Joab was motivated by self-exaltation with the ultimate plan to usurp his power, not by love and gratitude for what his Lord and Master did for him.

“while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul…And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying…Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee…So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast…And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace. And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them..,Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done?…And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died…And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.  And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?…And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day weak, though anointed king…the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

David himself called Joab a doer of evil. Joab was in the game for his own glory. David was anointed king because he exalted God. 

^“David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all…thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” (I Chronicles 29)

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6)

The Son of David is recognized by his likeness to his father David!

And not just David. When we see what is ineluctably connected by God in his documentation, we understand that Judah, granted rank over older brothers Reuben, Simeon and Levi, was as much a Chosen/ Messiahed Son/Heir among other sons as was Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, David over Jonathan, Solomon over Absalom, and on and on.

“the righteousness of God without the law is manifested [made plain, not a new development], being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ / YHVH’s Chosen Deliverer unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

No difference! Not in time or space or culture or language!

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans 3:21-25)

Think it through! Credibility in the 1st Century AD Christ’s claims is founded on an unswerving pattern of previous Christs / Chosen Deliverers.

It is worth noting that the Hebrew מַמְזֵ, ‘bastard’, apparently referred to a child born of incest (as in Deut 23.2 and Zech 9.6) not to one born out of wedlock, for, as noted above, there was no difference of legitimacy…Thus even in reference to human affairs, Israel’s concept of the father-son relationship was not one that emphasized physical procreation.

What this means is that God’s choice of Judah, Solomon, etc. as a Son of God is as legitimate (get it?) as Jesus Christ born of a virgin impregnated by the materialization of God’s sperm from his Spirit / energy.

It is God the Father who bestows sonship. This is an eternal truth which can only be applied to the followers of YHVH’s Chosen Savior after the first century AD if it applied to the followers of YHVH’s Chosen Savior in the preceding centuries.

And you [too] hath he quickened / brought to life through relationship who were dead / isolated from the sources of life in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world…also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh [like Judah, David, etc.], fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us…hath raised us up together, and made us sit together [with him]…That in the ages to come [from Genesis’ beginnings to Revelation’s fulfillment!] he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward US through his [current] Chosen Deliverer [which you can believe he will do because he has been doing this through a series of Chosen Deliverers for thousands of years.] (Ephesians 2)