A psalm of thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to YHWH, all the land. Psalm 100:1
Thanksgiving – Most of your Bibles have chapter headings that sort of explain what the chapter will be about. Those weren’t in the early manuscripts; they were added much later and some even as recent as your modern translation. However, Psalms has many of these such as we find in Psalm 100 where the headings are actually embedded in the text. Thanksgiving is one of them. Have you ever considered the significance of this?
This is one of the 7 Hebrew words of praise, todah is the Hebrew word for thanksgiving. Expedition has a playlist on this linked below. We have learned to almost skip over these headings in our Bibles and rightfully so as most of them as they aren’t in the inspired text, but in this case, it shouldn’t be simply passed over because it is in the text and means something – in fact it set the tone for the way modern translators have setup our interpretations.
The first word or phrase in Hebrew nearly always sets the context or frame of thought. In Leviticus 7 Israel was instructed to offer a fellowship offering (which was also simply called “todah”) and become sort of an idiom that covered everything from the sacrifice, the heart of the worship, the confessions, supplication, adoration, and proclamation of Yahweh towards all parts of life.
In Hebraic thought everyone and everything would image thanks to Yahweh. The reason that we are given here to offer such praise is a word that resounds deeply to my heart – TOV. Thanksgiving is connected to all things that are TOV, all things created good by God and intended to partner in His good will. This ties in Thanksgiving to connect to much more such as God’s order, God’s Hessed faithfulness, God’s mercy compassion and kindness, tribulation that becomes joy, and so much more. To live in a presence of Todah means to live in all things TOV. To be surrounded by your family of TOV, to walk each day in TOV, to swim in TOV.
Many of us have two families. A family we were born into of this world and then a new regenerated by the spirit family. I am blessed that much of this family is both. But as we connect with both kingdoms, these thankful psalms remind me to focus my attention on the things of TOV.
To understand that under this “TODAH-TOV” umbrella everything that we are given, past present and future -even the tribulation, should remind me to lift my countenance to Him by divine symphony, a pantheon of praise to the Lord is the heart of our thanksgiving. Giving thanks re-orients my thinking and my behavior back to Yahweh and then unto the image of Jesus and returns to everyone that I encounter. In Psalms this becomes a foreshadow of the image of Jesus Himself revealing the father to and in us. The already not yet amongst us.
Expedition 44 was founded by Dr. Will Ryan. It represents a way of life wholly devoted to living as a disciple of Jesus. It is made up of a global assembly of believers united to the Kingdom of Jesus. Dr Ryan and Matt Mouzakis co-host a YouTube channel based on Biblical Theology called Expedition 44 that has about 130,000 subscribers worldwide. There are also various small groups, Bible studies, weekend retreats, and conferences associated with Expedition 44.
The notion of the “image” doesn’t refer to a particular spiritual endowment, a secret “property”…The image is a vocation, a calling. It is the call to be an angled mirror, reflecting God’s wise order into the world and reflecting the praises of all creation back to the Creator. That is what it means to be the royal priesthood: looking after God’s world is the royal bit, summing up creation’s praise is the priestly bit.
– N.T. Wright, The Lost World of Adam and Eve (W/ John Walton)
Expedition 44 represents a way of life based on the pursuit of true discipleship. As those bearing the light of Jesus, we are called to both keep and cultivate life for the Lord in our communal body of believers. The Biblical vision for that culture is Christoformity, or Christlikeness. Nurturing Christoformity was at the heart of the Pauline mission. As New Testament priests, we are charged to mediate Christ in everything. Expedition 44 is based on Biblical Theology teachings encouraging a way of life completely devoted to the Lord.
Everything in the expedition 44 life points towards Jesus, but don’t get too wrapped up in this section. You might find it interesting, but it is just meant to explain a more in-depth pursuit of Jesus that might help you to identify what your journey looks like and pray over the journey of other brothers and sisters within the same kingdom calling.
THE MOSAIC MEANING
Expedition 44 was started by me, Dr. Ryan years ago as a bit of a family crest or coat of arms and has developed into so much more. When I was young, I decided I was different than those in the world in that I wanted to dedicate my life to following Jesus. Many have made that profession and like me, had very little idea of what it really meant, particularly at the time they made the confession.
In ancient times people were often communally represented by what they had in common. For God’s people of Israel, it began with spreading blood over a doorpost. Throughout history people have sought to show their allegiance in similar signs. The flag, a crest, a heraldic symbol, a cross, or even something as simple as a mark on the ground showing a common understanding completed by both parties (the idea of the ixoye) expressed the sign of a common spiritual bond. In eastern society you are communally responsible for those with you. It is very different from our western me-istic thinking. This was the mindset of the early church, that together we are one in the kingdom of Christ. The cross was the culmination of this way of thinking in Christ, but the tone was set to begin thinking this way many years before. Today we have mostly lost this kind of communal consideration and without it, much of the original cultural understanding of proclaiming the kingdom of God has been lost.
There are several ways that this style of thought is described in the Bible and throughout history. The writing of Hebrew itself is actually a bit of a pictograph language with each letter describing a visual identity, many of which contain Biblical truths and meanings. Each letter is a symbol and understanding the letters and how they work together gives insight to deeper meanings, themes, metaphors, and visual imagery throughout the Bible. For thousands of years throughout ancient culture we see these images take form. Representations of an image to signify groups of people or tell a story are very common in the ancient eastern world both inside and outside of scripture.
In western thought we understand the term icon a little bit better as something that represents an image that people might put on a pedestal or desire. Sometimes the idea of an icon was more aligned to words that described idolatry. An icon served as an image that represented something deeper that you claimed. It was and still is associated with spirituality. There were several examples of this kind and other types of imagery in the ancient world. Although Expedition 44 and its logo has been treated like an icon over the years it is actually closer to a Biblical mosaic.
Mosaics date back to the 3rd millennium B.C. and were a major part of Mesopotamian culture. They were pictures that represented something significant in life and were made with whatever could be found. Stones, seashells, bone, and other materials were used to decorate walls and floors for thousands of years. Into the Middle Ages, this was a popular way to create motifs and still continues to be an icon of religious imagery in basilicas around the world. Stained glass is a simple example of a mosaic. The word mosaic as you can imagine, has its roots in the Bible. History shows us that Moses through the law, would give the Hebrew people a collection of small images to live by. (This was the law but so much bigger than the law.) Together all of these images made a collective whole. Similar to the progression we see in the New Testament giftings of various members making up the church. We as westerners understand some of the New Testament picture of spiritual gifts and how they work together but have a hard time understanding the mosaic law because naturally we don’t think of these commands as imagery that builds a complete life. The Lord, through Moses, would give his people a collection of descriptions that would describe holy life and together when practiced by everyone would build a picture of complete devotion to the Lord. Groups of people, families, and tribes would regularly build a collection of imagery, usually something very simple that described who they were. They were communally devoted to a way of living that the image represented. Biblical Mosaics are based on Mosaic covenant.
THE SURFACE MEANING
Years ago, I came up with a symbol that would represent an ancient communal kingdom like way of thinking; it is a symbol that resembles a shield with a front and backwards 44. It has taken on a lot of meaning to me and others bearing the logo to be set apart to a more ancient way of life considering the calling of the kingdom on your life, and the lives of those you are in Biblical covenant with.
The backwards 4 represents Christs backwards, or counter cultural (to our world) kingdom. The first should be last. One of my life themes or motif is to live in the backwards or upside down Kingdom that Christ not only taught but lived.
I am going to encourage you to think in a way that resembled ancient Hebrew and early church culture rather than the culture we live today. Our western thinking doesn’t really consider this kind of representation any more, but the Hebraic, more eastern style of conceptual thought will come to life. The number 44 in the expedition 44 logo on a very surface level represents things like a .44 magnum, my favorite hunting pistol caliber. Throughout the years it has been referred to by many in the 4×4 community (which I am really into), it was also my jeep number when I raced, and has other significance within our family but I think you get the idea. Many hunters, competitive shooters, 4×4 enthusiasts and others have found themselves wearing shirts and hats with the symbol aligning themselves with perhaps part of what the 44 represented, yet often they didn’t fully understand the connection or meaning behind the symbol. It was just a cool image that represented something in their life, in many ways it was more of an icon by that description than anything else. It is very “faith like” in this way. Many will come to desire a relationship with God and accept on a very basic level what that means, yet not first understand the depth that comes with such a relationship. Some will even want to claim ownership, yet their life never takes form to truly represent the mosaic thinking behind what the image represents to those that hold it closer.
I would often hand out 44 t-shirts on 4wheeling trips and people would love them. They would plaster stickers on their jeeps and take great pride that they were part of this select die hard group. I own a private shooting range and the symbol has also taken on a similar form with the competitive firearms crowd. It has been donned in the form of patches, branded into wooden handles, team jerseys, and various other things. There are many other pockets of life that the symbol has represented over the years but perhaps the one closest to its true form is in our church culture. From men’s and women’s weekend retreats to theology videos; the Christian crowd has come to see the symbol on a basic level in a way closer to the real significance of its meanings. To them it is a sign of those that are wholly devoted to the Lord.
Many understand a small part of what the symbol might represent but very few end up understanding the entire mindset. Over the years it has carried with it a very in depth, almost secret sacred definition. Let me explain the deeper meanings behind the symbol.
THE ESSENES
I want to introduce you to a sect during the second temple period called the Essenes אִסִּיִים . They were similar to the Pharisees or Sadducees except dedicated to Biblical (more than Rabbinical) truth. Similarly, it seems today that we have gotten away from seeking the truth of the scripture and Christians are often more defined by tradition similar to the way the pharisees or Sadducees may have acted “religiously.” Part od the Expedition 44 culture is to be less “religious” and more scripturally motivated.
The Essenes were a tight community of dedicated believers who devoted themselves to the scripture and actively sought to preserve what they held sacred to life. Josephus shares that they practiced piety, celibacy, the absence of personal property and of money, the belief in communality, and commitment to a strict observance of Sabbath. He further adds that the Essenes ritually immersed in water every morning, ate together after prayer, devoted themselves to charity and benevolence, forbade the expression of anger, studied the books of the elders, preserved secrets, and were very mindful of the names of the angels kept in their sacred writings. (Josephus, The Wars of the Jews)
So rewind 2000 years and we find a group that in obedience to the prophet Isaiah, went to the desert to “prepare the way for the Lord” (Isaiah 40:1-5). Though small in number (ancient sources indicate 4,000), they exerted significant influence on the religious community of their day. Some have even alluded that they may be the converts mentioned in Acts 6:7.
Now, as in any group, things often get generalized. Such as we say the Essenes were basically pacifistic scholarly types, but as we would argue for any group, not all of them followed this description. The Essenes had their issues, and I am not building a case by any means to be just like them. But they did share some observable qualities that Jesus asked of His church that we seem to have lost in our American or Western influenced culture. They went against the grain of their cultural society to live the way they believed the scriptures taught. They didn’t want to be influenced by anything other than the Word of the Lord.
The Essenes are most known for the Dead Sea Scrolls which are commonly believed to have been their library. But most people don’t realize that this was not the main body of the Essenes but a more aggressive offshoot of them. The place in Qumran where the scrolls were found in the ruins seem to have been a fortress, used as a military base for a very long period of time. Some have argued that this doesn’t make since for the Essenes as they were mostly monk type pacifistic group, yet the facts would confirm that this was indeed part of their community.
There is something that sheds light on this with the discovery of the seven scrolls at the first cave in Qumran. Most of the other scrolls, like in cave four were fragments and scholars believe that they were likely fragments when they were placed in the caves, because they were worn out – retired. All written words were sacred according to Jews, so these scrolls were placed in a Genizah. You might think of this as a protected burial place, nearly every synagogue in the world has one. But many of the scrolls besides these are in much better condition and it is largely assumed that the Essenes were the authors of these scrolls and much of the Pseudepigrapha.
There is a scroll here called the war scroll. It is very eschatological in nature describing the great war that Revelation describes as GOG- MaGOG. What’s interesting is this was written before the book of Revelation. You see they thought the Messiah was coming again and the war would be within their lifetime. Whoever wrote the war scroll, was writing in a spoken dialect of Hebrew and they understood Roman warfare and Persian rule; in other words, they were incredibly well prepared and gave their life to readiness for the coming kingdom.
There is a group known as the Essaioi, and Philo’s Therapeutae describes them as pursuing an active life. The War Scroll, or The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness, was different than many of the others, it has a different writing style, even the jar of clay and Asphalt seal was different. The scroll describes a war in two distinct parts, first (the War against the Kittim) described as a battle between the Sons of Light, consisting of the sons of Levi, the sons of Judah, and the sons of Benjamin, and the exiled of the desert, against Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Amalekites, and Philistia and their allies the Kittim of Asshur (referred to collectively as the army of Belial), and [those who assist them from among the wicked] who “violate the covenant.” The second part of the war (the War of Divisions) is described as the Sons of Light, now the united twelve tribes of Israel, conquering the “nations of vanity.” In the end, all of Darkness is to be destroyed and Light will live in peace for all eternity.
When we make the connection that this scroll was likely written by this particular group of Essenes, we find the terminology that they refer to themselves as the SONS OF LIGHT.
Interestingly there are many verses in the Bible Like Jn 12:36 that make note of SONS OF LIGHT. What is interesting about this regarding Expedition 44 is that I (Dr. Ryan) am wired a little bit more towards writing a war scroll such as the minority group of the Essenes referred to as the Sons of Light and Matt (who co-leads the video series with me) is a pacifist such as the majority of the Essenes; yet together I like to think we continually bring out the best in each other and have a bit of a communal covenant between us in regard to understanding Biblical Theology. Much like the Essenes in their culture, we are the studious remnant who seek to preserve and live out the true intentions of the scriptures.
THE NUMBERS:
Throughout the Bible numbers matter, they are important and sometimes carry Biblical truth. I would advise not getting too hung up non these numbers and the study of them (numerology), but I do believe we can gather value from them in some areas of study.
In the Bible, God’s chosen ones (both Jew and gentile) are attributed to the number 22, which has some ties to the book of Revelations and the day of judgment (which Biblically appears to have more correlation to 70AD then it does to a dispensational idea of end times). It is usually referred to as the number of completeness. But then you get more specific by narrowing it down to those more deeply devoted (I might even say as true disciples); you see that number doubled which is a concept from Isaiah that is applied to those that are within the Lord’s favor and often ask for or are given a double portion, the number 22 doubled is 44. The idea is that we bring God all of who we are and all of what we can offer. In the Old Testament the word Nephesh would best describe all that God has given us as a person. We can only offer 100% of what we have no more. Yet when we give God our complete life, he takes that life and does exceedingly more than what was possible in of itself. He multiplies what is given (at the altar). Throughout the Bible that is what is often implied by a double portion. It would be like saying I want you to give 110%. That’s western culture thinking. We can’t give more than 100%. Biblical thinking says that Christ gave all for us and asks that we do the same. By Grace we offer our complete lives to Him and he continues this reciprocal dance of Grace by taking that life and doing more than we could ever fathom, God’s part is better than ours. Not 110%, not 200%, something more like 70X7. This way of thinking is rooted deep within the Old Testament narrative and is echoed throughout the pages of the New Testament. We often miss it because we read these pages with 20th century eyes. Expedition 44 represents the expedition of life to completely give God your life and ask that in Him, you might do exceedingly more to the glory of the kingdom. Giving all that is humanly possible while God multiplies that offering and answers by what is his double portion in the spiritual kingdom and is innumerable in His eyes.
The numerology of number 44 is efficient, disciplined, and confident. The number also bears with it the idea of spiritual beings guarding or preserving. Interesting how both of these traits also would have described the Essenes and the first priests. The Essenes were priestly, they were scholarly, they were incredibly devoted in their way of life, and were not influenced by the world around them. They were missional to the scriptures and aware of the spiritual climate of their world.
THE SONS OF GOD
When we study the term often used for spiritual beings in the Bible, sons of God (Bənē hāʾĔlōhīm), it often unfortunately carries a negative connotation perhaps based on Genesis 6. However, I would encourage you to take on the understanding that this term in basic form simply represents all spiritual entities initially created by the hand of God. It has no male or female designation. We are told, and most would believe, that eventually 1/3 of all of these beings fell from the heavenly realms to be opposed to God. (I would argue that this number is more controversial than you might think though, so don’t give it too much weight.) Yet when we enter into covenant relationship in the new kingdom we are also described as “Sons of God” (again gender neutral, so some say sons and daughters of God to align with our western thought) which shows that we are recreated directly by the hand of God. That we are adopted into this royal lineage and now considered sons of God.
THE DEEPER (DIRECTIONAL) CALLING
There is a notion (especially within more Orthodox Christianity) that perhaps the way that we live on this earth will have an impact on our rank, jewels, or proximity to God (direction) in heaven or in the recreated heaven and earth. The expedition 44 way of life implies that we desire to make the spiritual investments here as called into Christlike living that could have lasting eschatological affects. But this is not to be confused with some kind of pie in the sky dispensational fantasy, quite the opposite. We believe that we were “saved for” the life work of Christ’s kingdom here and now. This is a journey or expedition that we might be found faithful, humble, and obedient servants here on earth and on to the final destination of the recreated heavens and earths as we take on our new spiritual bodies. Life and salvation are a journey with Christ as the king of the eternal kingdom.
I might be walking on thin ice with some where I am going next, but I assure you it is Biblical thinking. This is going to seem like a bit of a rabbit trail, but it will come together in the end. Throughout the last 2000 years many have sought to understand the complexities of the re-creation of the new heavens and earth. In my last book, “This is the way?!,” I venture into this a little bit more, so I won’t get to far into it here. We aren’t given the full story in the Bible. We don’t have the New Heavens and Earth or recreated being’s manual yet. But we are given a few hints in the story of the Biblical Narrative that is given to us. We know that some of us will rule angels (I Corinthians 6:3). We also are told that every knee will bow. What does that mean? I have always found it interesting that if God desires that all come to Him, and He is omnipotent or able for all to come to Him, then possibly, could He have found a way that all might come to Him? Is that what every knee will bow means eschatologically? Perhaps we all should be hopeful universalists in that sense. As you can imagine this kind of thinking also will influence your thoughts of hell, but as I said, my previous book explored some of this so I will mostly leave it alone here. Personally, I don’t see the framework for Universal reconciliation, but I might say that I am hopeful. Wouldn’t it be great if all of the world for all of time could be reconciled to Jesus?
Now that I have that out of the way, my point it to say that some may serve in different capacities in the final state of the recreated heaven and earth. Perhaps it is possible that some will rule and others will be ruled in the heavenly realm. It is interesting that some view this very similar to the way the Garden of Eden and the first priests Adam and Eve may have been intended. Some see Adam and Eve partnering to rule and reign with God in the high mountain temple garden over the others on the earth. What others you ask? For just a moment consider the fact that we don’t actually know God’s plan for Adam and Eve in the garden, we can only speculate. We actually don’t even know for sure if there were others living on the rest of the earth when Eden existed. I know to most traditional western readers this is starting to sound crazy but consider it as a more scriptural alternative. Consider the Genesis story as being more concerned with teaching theology (God’s relationship with the universe) as opposed to its being concerned with cosmology (how the universe was created).
Today we would call this science and many of us want to read Genesis as a Science book but that is not what it is. That doesn’t mean it is scientifically inaccurate, it just means that God’s goal in giving us this story was not to teach us science or even history for that fact! It’s not a science book and it’s not even really a history book. That is not its intent. It’s God’s love story to us showing the broken plan and the hope that what was lost will be found and given new life in a new kingdom.
This is going to take a second, have you ever read Genesis chapters one through three straight through? You would likely stop for a second and think that it is restating creation, that it tells the story twice. Isn’t it interesting that Genesis one does not mention Adam and Eve? Genesis 1 says God created humanity, male and female He created them. Then Chapter 2 starts to talk about the creation of Adam and Eve. Let me challenge you that chapter 2 “could” be a sequel to chapter 1 which implies there were more people. As we look at the Bible, we see several hints at this, such as Cain finding a wife. Remember when Cain says anybody who finds me will kill me? Who would he have been talking about? His family? Why would they have killed him? It just doesn’t make sense unless there were other people on the earth. And how do you explain Cain building a city? To you have a city you have to have people, likely more than just your family. Or how do you name all the animals in one day? You don’t, it took longer. Also, did you realize that after Genesis chapter 5 Adam and Eve are never mentioned again in the Old Testament?
What about the idea that Adam and Eve were immortal? From dust we are formed & from dust you return (Genesis 1:19). I would suggest that Adam and Eve were always mortal beings, but when they ate from the tree of wisdom and were kicked out of The Garden they lost the remedy for continued life in a relationship walking with God. They were no longer eating the fruits that granted life.
So, if they weren’t the first people then what is the significance of Adam and Eve? You have probably heard it before, but they are the first pictures of priests. Genesis 2:15 says to serve and keep; doesn’t that sound like the Priestly language described in Leviticus? This is why God created us, because he wanted to be together, and if you read your entire Bible, guess how the story ends? We’re united in this togetherness relationship with God to serve and rule over God’s creation in the new Heaven and Earth. In the Old Testament the priest had knowledge and access to God‘s presence. We see this idea carried over throughout the Bible and into the New Testament as the royal priesthood of believers.
Perhaps in the New Heavens and Earth those who come to an allegiant knowledge of Christ and are found faithful to this coming kingdom while on earth are those that rule over the rest. Perhaps there are even more levels, jewels, or distinctions that will set us apart. This fits very well if you’re considering some version of being a hopeful Universal Reconciliation where every knee bowing might meaning access to the heavenly realm eschatologically. Perhaps there are different degrees of what it means to be found faithful. To be honest I don’t know, we don’t have all the cards to the entire kingdom in the narrative that we are given. It is all speculation given on the scripture that we have. As I have mentioned before, I personally do not see the theology for a universal reconciliation view concerning hell, but I am open to the fact that God could do this.
But what I do know is that I want to be considered the faithful, those set apart, those given a deeper calling, the remnant, the martyrs, those that rule, and those that found faithful in the kingdom to become immeasurably more than they brought to the alter. To completely give all of what I have been given and receive the double portion that only God can give by the power of the only King Jesus in an everlasting Kingdom. This is the heart of Expedition 44.
PSALM 144:1
If you look closely at the logo you will find that within the logo lie the numbers 1441. The bar on the left is a 1, the 44 in the middle and the bar on the right is a 1. Psalm 144:1 says “Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.” If you can’t tell, I (Dr. Ryan) came up with this one (Not Matt!) It is often associated with the gun toting group although, that may actually be taking it out of context! The idea of the verse is complete reliance of every day on the Lord. There is a theological belief that David seemed to hold that God was supposed to fight the battles and when men tried, they usually messed things up and got in the way. That is the essence of Psalm 144:1, that David could simply be a humble instrument devoted to the actions of the Lord and not of himself.
THE SHIELD OR CHALICE
The Box with a chevron under it actually means something as well. At first it appears to be a shield, and it is. Some know that shields in ancient warfare weren’t intended for individual battle. They were best used when locked together as a communal force. This is most commonly known from the Roman Legions using the testudo or tortoise formation as a type of shield wall. As you have figured out, the shield in the 44 means we are all in this together. It’s a picture of the body of Christ.
But that’s not all. You might know that Matt and Ryan are Egalitarians. The egalitarian interpretation of Scripture is based on the view that Scripture does not limit women’s (or anyone else’s) roles and contributions in any arena, including the Church. From Eden to our role in the new heavens and earth, God’s ideal is equality. Everything in between is a mess of the earth, sin, and the fallen spiritual beings. The double line at the bottom of the shield also resembles a chalice. The chalice symbolizes communion and Christ’s blood. In Ancient culture the chalice was a symbol of life. As in other cultures there is also an ancient understanding that a chalice represents the significance over the power God gives to create life in the order of his cosmos. Men are predominantly mentioned in the Bible (due to culture) but the chalice is a constant reminder that we men need women (and I might argue are equal in God’s eyes.) Thus, the eternal chalice is the female uterus, where human life begins. That’s why some say ancient chalices were shaped the way they were. It started with the appearance of humans on Earth, and it will continue until the end of time. The chalice shaped V in the 44 logo is a constant reminder that Man and Women together are the recipe that God gives and communally we are all working together as if we were in one accord moving together as one locked shield.
MYSTERIUM TREMENDUM
There are 44 days between Jesus’ crucifixion and his ascension to Heaven.
There were 44 months in Jesus’ ministry
Jesus was crucified over a period of 4 days. In addition, the four gospels are the story of Jesus, his life, and his ultimate mission, as told by Matthew, Luke, Mark and John.
There is a huge significance in the correlation of the number 44 and sonship (& Daughters) in the Bible.
The number of candles used in a Hanukkah celebration is traditionally forty-four
The number 10000 is used 44 times in the Bible.
The word tribulation is used 44 times in the Bible and typically best describes a tough journey or expedition (not the end times!)
Expedition 44 represents a way or walk of life for those who more than anything else, wish to be true disciples of Jesus, fervently devoted to a deeper calling of intimacy in Him.
The Mesha Stele, also known as the Moabite Stone, is one of the oldest artifacts connecting biblical history to the ancient world dating over 2800 years old with the inscription dating at 840 BC. Stelae (plural of stele) are monuments in the form of upright stone slabs or pillars that are often inscribed. The language of the inscription is Moabite, very similar to Hebrew. It uses an alphabetic script almost identical to the Old Hebrew (or Paleo-Hebrew).
You might notice what resembles several “44” inscriptions on this stone and other paleo- Hebrew relics. Some of the imagery behind X44 is to capture the ancient mindset of those devoted to God as indicated by the earliest known images from Ancient Israel.
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The “Moabite” language was a different dialect of the common language spoken (and written) in this region that could just as well be called an early form of Hebrew. Several biblical names and events are mentioned on the stele with amazing specificity.
This stele contains several lines of Aramaic referring to an individual who killed Jehoram of Israel, the son of Ahab and king of the house of David. The account can be found in 2 Kings 9:24.
References to biblical history contained in the Mesha Stele inscription include:
“Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old?”” John 3:4
Nicodemus heard Jesus say that a man must be “born from above” if he is to be a son of God. He asked, “How can I make this happen?” He just wanted the steps but didn’t want the “why.” Sounds like our Christian culture today – Just get in the water, and maybe that’s not all bad! But it’s not about what you can do, it’s about what God will do. In a very eloquent and rhythmic fashion Jesus answers Nicodemus with the words gennēthēnaianōthen. The witty inference is that we must be born from above regenerated by the Spirit. The answer to the real question, why must a man be born from above, is far more important than the how. God knows how. What we need to know is why.
You do not become what you are, but you are what you become.
I studied philosophy first which led me to a better theology. I don’t believe we are simply a product of our environment, nor do I believe in the Calvinist sense that God has predetermined all things and is the grand puppet master.
Our decisions shape us.
Jesus’ answer shares an entire “remez” of theology. I’ll give you the short version. God separated the water and created man in His image within His order. Man fails and falls numerous times, and God does a “reset” with His newly chosen people coming out of Egypt and through the redemptive waters of the red sea, they are “baptized” as a nation and become a “new” people. Those originally created by the direct hand of God were referred to in Genesis as the Bene Ha Elohim. Fast forward to Jesus when we are now “reborn from above”, we take on the same terminology. We are now directly created by the hand of God and are a new royal priesthood set apart as ambassadors for a new kingdom. Jesus Himself was an example – image – foreshadow – archetype of this. As He was born of a virgin, His creation or re-creation to earth in the form of a “second Adam”, was directly by the hand of God. In a similar fashion, all of us now “born from above,” have entered into completely new life with God. The old person is dead.
When Jesus answers Nicodemus He says that we are at a total start over through Him. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin who is drawn to hear Jesus’s teachings. As is the case with Lazarus, Nicodemus is not mentioned in the synoptic Gospels and is mentioned only by John. [1] This famous encounter is contextually set before John 3:16, you might consider that. Most Biblical scholars have identified the Nicodemus of the New Testament with a 1st-century historic Nicodemus Ben Gurion, which would have him being a key figure 40 years later in the First Jewish Roman War. [2]
He was a wealthy and popular holy man reputed to later have had miraculous powers, which some would say was a sign that God was with Him. [3] In the account in John we aren’t given the whole picture or all the details. In fact, we seem to get the opposite idea. Jesus tells Nicodemus to leave the world at the beach and he seemingly can’t do that. He comes to Jesus in secret in the night because He is afraid of what His pharisee friends will think if he is aligned with Jesus, yet he says that many of them believe and uses the title Rabbi with Jesus out of honor and respect.
Nicodemus is mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John. This is the first encounter. The second is four chapters later when he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged. He seems to be a friend of Jesus or possibly advocating for Him. The third and final encounter is in John 19 when Nicodemus appears after Jesus’s crucifixion to provide the customary spices for anointing the dead and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial. Some believe this is a sign of conviction. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes—about 100 Roman pounds (33 kilograms, or 73 lb). Nicodemus must have been a man of means; in his book Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week, Pope Benedict XVI observes that, “The quantity of the balm is extraordinary and exceeds all normal proportions. This is a royal burial.”[5] If you take the notion that He was the notable Nicodemus Ben Gurion, then it means that over the next 40 years he would lead many to a “born again” notion and eventually be considered a saint within orthodoxy for his actions. But we also may want to question “that notion,” and we likely should.
The decision for Nicodemus wasn’t easy. Brian Zahnd shares, “Undoubtedly, he was raised in a Pharisee household, educated in the Pharisee school of Jewish thought from a child and placed on a course that would inevitably make him what he became. But now Jesus was challenging him to make a choice that would fundamentally alter his self. To make the choice to rethink everything. To start over. To radically change his dominant paradigm; instead of viewing the kingdom of God through the paradigm of the Pharisees, to view the kingdom of God through the new paradigm of Jesus. No easy task.” [6]
Jesus’ words to Nicodemus were life changing. We don’t know if Nicodemus ever “got there.” The orthodox church would say he did, Nicodemus is venerated as a saint in Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy and in Catholicism. The Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches commemorate him on the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers, which is celebrated on the Third Sunday of Pascha (i.e., the second Sunday after Easter).[7]But from my perspective, the text nor history gives us the confirmed answer. Jesus’ words were hard. Leave it all at the Beach and start over. Rethink. Everything.
The world and the Christian church (alike) often don’t decipher this story well.
A spiritual re-birth meant a new and/or total spiritual re-learning. A new start. Discipleship. Could he do that? Did he do that the next 40 years? Perhaps. Or perhaps he was still “off” as he might have led thousands to their death in 70AD and completely missed the “WHY” of Jesus. The world (and Christians) often puts those “types” on a pedestal. We nearly “worship” those that are very opposite to the ways and words of Jesus. Maybe he got the fame his heart was postured towards but never could die to himself as Jesus challenged him to do; or maybe He did as His “saint hood” would later venerate. Only God knows.
What about you. The call wasn’t to simply make a decision to get on your knees in tank of water as the lights and lasers dazzle everyone to chalk up another bar of statistics for the year of tallied success. It was to enter total discipleship. The first step is a proclamation of the heart to total faithful allegiance in Jesus by getting in the water, the second step should be towards a changed life of discipleship. I pray the lasers and lights lead that way! That was always the calling of Jesus. Leave it all on the beach.
That is the ONLY commission of Jesus. There was no halfway or halfhearted version of this story. Are you all in? Will the water set you apart?
This article is dedicated to my good friend and disciple Paul Lazzaroni as he is shepherding so many others to walk this journey well. Love you and proud of you, my friend. -Halak
x44 has an old but good video on Nicodemus here:
Driscoll, James F. (1911). “Nicodemus” . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Reid, George J. (1907). “Acta Pilati” . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. p. 111.
ee, for instance:
Flusser, David (16 December 2013). “Character Profiles: Gamaliel and Nicodemus”. Jerusalem Perspective.
Burke, Daniel (17 March 2013). “Nicodemus, The Mystery Man of Holy Week”. The Washington Post. Religious News Service. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023.
Holy Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Paraskevi, Saint Barbara, Saint John the Merciful & Our Mother of Consolation. St Albans, Melbourne: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023.
I grew up in an incredible home. Had one of the best relationships with my parents (particularly my dad) a kid could ever hope for. Was grounded in my faith from an early age and have been humbled by what God has allowed me to be part of for his kingdom.
God has blessed me beyond comprehension with an amazing Godly woman and an incredible family that is wholly devoted to Him
God used my life as part of teams that have planted several great successful churches
God used me to personally shepherd and disciple over 100 people
By the Grace of God, I was used to rebuild a seminary (as the president) to over 400% growth in 2 years and build over 30 new courses with kingdom partners
By the Grace of God, I have founded a YouTube channel with 130,000 subscribers
By the Grace of God, I have written numerous Theology books and hold a Th.D.
Together we built a photography company nominated Wisconsin’s best photographers over 15 times
Together we have seen more than 30 countries
I was able to compete in professional soccer in Europe, adventure races, marathons, various skiing races and competitions, and firearms various disciplines
Whatever I have touched God has prospered. Thank you Yahweh.
I have spent a great deal of my life studying the Bible and as I look back listing all the things above, it seems like vanity; I am tempted to agree with Solomon as he started out Ecclesiastes, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.” Yet in the same breath, I feel I have journeyed well before the LORD. Transparently I could have done much better. There have been bumps, bruises, and hardship at times, but also unending joy. There are stands I made that I wish in hindsight I would have instead turned the other cheek and walked away from; and there were times when I walked away, and I wished I would have been more persistent to stay the course. But regardless of my choices the LORD has given grace and continued to cover me with his providential hand.
The Qohelet writes a dispassionate assessment of human existence, concluding that nothing really matters much over the course of eternity. However, I am not sure I agree with the teacher said to be the wisest of all men. But that is the mystery of and the contranym of Solomon – the Wisest man who lived the “least wisest” life. But maybe that is exactly what we are supposed to read out of the wayward narrative, perhaps the most discouraging book in the Bible.
As Heschel would say, I need something that carries me out of the empirical somnambulist. That something is the Hebrew integration of ritual with faith. I have become a partaker in OUR redemption from exile. Today as I reflect back, I couldn’t be more satisfied with the course I have chosen, yes there were some rough moments and there will continue to be. The exodus began with Abraham, and it won’t end for many generations of faithful followers until the kingdom of God is established on earth. You and I are in that traveling community, the ones who are in the great waiting. But we are standing still, we are in motion, “exodusing,” leaving behind what interferes with the intended journey on a pathway that despite some tribulation culminates with joy. Thank you, Lord, for a beautiful plan.
I was born in 1974. I am 2 here in 1976. My dad was a preacher in Indiana, Iowa, and New Mexico for most of my life as a child. I remember the church memories the most. Hunting for rattle snakes, riding horses, building legos, fishing (my dad was a pro bass fisherman), and drinking from the garden hose with my faithful dog brandy.
This is a few years later in 1980 with my two favorite people that have now been gone for quite some time but are also still with me every day. I sure loved my dad and my grandpa… and there is that dog! At least her rear end! She went everywhere with me.
We moved from South Haven Indiana to Lake Geneva in the late 1980’s for my parents to start the JH at Faith Christian School. I am number 22 (ironically if you know the ontology of 44). I didn’t really like basketball, I was a soccer kid, but it was good for me eventually being part of 2 state championships as the starting point guard all 4 years of high school. All those years of my dad playing 1-1 games with me in the driveway paid off I guess.
I knew God was calling me, so I went to Moody in 1993 where I studied Biblical theology under Dr. John Walton. I played soccer for the Chicago kickers which gave way to the MLS Chicago Fire who I had the privilege of practicing regularly with in their first couple of years as they won the championship. I also was able to play soccer in Wales for Conway United. In 1997 I graduated early and enrolled at the UW to study Curriculum and Instruction (the first of many advanced degrees) and took a job teaching at Faith Christian School with my parents! I also started back 180 while I was there which was a college ministry at Calvary Community Church and began to be mentored by Dr. Howard Matson where I also was shepherded by his good friend Dr. DA Carson.
I bought our first house just before we were married. I transitioned from Calvary to be a part of the team that started Lakeland Community Church and have such fond memories of those early ministry days. After a few years, I switched gears and helped found the River Church. I continued studies at the UW eventually rekindling my relationship with Keith N. Schoville who served as the chairman of the UW CANES department. He was also the president of the Near East Archaeological Society and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. I became friend with Dr. Michael Heiser and acquaintances with Dr. Tim Mackie (currently of the Bible project) as I pursued a Ph.D.
SANYO DIGITAL CAMERA
In 2001 I met Krista. I was (and continue to be) good friends with the Mielke family and had little Karli ask Krista out for me to our first date! She said yes and we were married a few short months later.
She rocked my world and still does nearly 25 years later. I called my dad on the way home from my first date and told him this is the woman I would marry. We continued to pursue Jesus together and travel the world on missions.
We got a puppy the same year we got married and named her Charlet Moser after an Ice Climbing company. We sent her away to hunting school and visited her on the weekends for 2 months. She became one of the greatest hunters I have ever seen. We would take here to the boundary waters and she refused to get in the canoe and swam 20-30 miles a day next to us.
Lots of great trips to Alaska and many other adventures with great friends in this era. Great skiing memories!
In 2005 we welcomed Ty! The doctors said he wouldn’t make it. He was in the NICU for 6 weeks and was lived to be soooo healthy and full of life. He was a miracle baby. But a few days after he was born, we unexpectantly lost my father. It was the hardest time in our life, Somehow, we managed smiles in this photo taken shortly after when Ty came home to us. Praise God.
In 2008 Will was born! Ty was so happy to have a little brother! But it wasn’t long before Ty’s perfect rows of trains were being destroyed by “baby Destro” as Will became affectionately known as by his big brother.
Skiing has always been a big part of my life. I competed in college in the FIS Freestyle World Cup – Moguls & Aerials as well as the Bud Mogul Tour. I also got to be part of the World Extreme Ski Championships (WESC) in Alaska’s Wasatch Mountains where I met Doug Coombs (now passed) and Glen Plake who I still 4 wheel with occasionally. Krista and I spent nearly every night skiing with Andy and Abbey at the Grand Geneva.
The early years of kids were so fun. Krista and I continued to travel, make great friendships, coach, and be immersed into all kinds of ministry together.
This is the “boys trip” to ALASKA with George, Russ, Sonny, and Ty in 2009 (The trip my dad always wanted to take.)
Kade came to us at the end of 2009 making life oh so sweet! The Ideal Impressions team (as I have been a tent maker in ministry most of my life out of biblical conviction) was growing and ministry at the River was flourishing.
Ahhhhh the trip to Greece!
Reid was born in 2011 completing the family (but also making family photo shoots very challenging!!! (love this little kiss though!) The River was super great, I started competing in off road Rock Crawling events, and life was in full swing!
Reid was in the NICU for many weeks (and was also a miracle baby) and came home completely healthy. Praise Jesus!
Will Went to the Boundary waters in 2012 on his 3 year old trip.
Kade Would go to Moab on his three year old trip in 2013, & I started building hard core Jeeps and lost all my hair that year!
This was a great era in life! So many great family adventures!
2013-2014 images
Reid’s three year old trip to California with my great life friend Troy!
2015 – Grandma turned 90! WOW Also shot the 2nd biggest dear in WI to date, the 61 point buck that year!
In 2016 we lost a legend. My Grandpa was one of the best! I built my first comp buggy that year too. We also started attending Mt Zion Church in 2016.
2017 was a big year in many ways. I finished my Doctoral Degree and started working with Covenant Theological Seminary teaching Ancient Near East Studies. I also started “EXPEDITION 44” as a passion pursuit not knowing what it might turn into. We opened the Range. Krista lost her mom to ALS this year.
2018 – I started the Expedition 44 YouTube Channel this year and hit 10K subscribers in the first year!
2019 Matt came on board to x44 and we hit 50,000 subscribers later that year. My wife and I coached Soccer at Mt Zion
2020-2025 has been unreal. In many ways I don’t think it could be much better. Over these years I became the Head of Theology at Covenant Theological Seminiary and eventually the President. Ideal Impressions and White River Field and Freedom thrived, Expedition 44 jumped to over 130,000 subscribers. I wrote several books including the This is the way Series. I built a lot of off-road project vehicles; we started Range nights and eventually TOV. God has certainly blessed our family. Today I consider where we have been and what God has for the next chapter. The boys won various soccer tournaments including the WI Badger State Games, and Ty went to state in track two years in a row and received a full scholarship to Wisconsin Lutheran college just 3 turns and 36 minutes away!
50 in Hebraic thinking is the year of jubilee — yovel in Hebrew — following seven cycles of seven-year shmita, or sabbatical. To another favored 50! Thank you to my best friends and family. Shalom
Wait what? All that in the one word? -I don’t think so!
Just about every day I scroll through a “BIBLE” meme on Facebook that makes me cringe. I used to comment but I no longer do largely because I think sometimes people don’t interpret the comments as useful, or teaching better theology but as some kind of self-promotion, or “I think I am better than you” type of thing. I think that is unfortunate. I believe part of shepherding and discipleship is a Mars Hill or rabbinical teaching method of being open to constantly learning and working through a better understanding of the test with the giftings of those around you. To keep each other Biblically sharp and accountable to be faithful to the text. Letting people get really loose with the text has led to alot of bad theology and ditch diving. I believe the Bible greatly encouraged textual exploration together within the body. That is what the body of Christ is supposed to do. I have 40 years of deeply studying the Bible under my belt and God has gifted me with a certain learned spiritual intuition of exegesis. I hope it comes as a gift to those that have a learning posture towards the scripture. To those more interested in fighting or finger pointing, or making internet dumpster fires, I am not interested.
THE MEME:
At first glance this probably looks pretty neat. It’s challenging, it looks at the original language rather than an English glossed translation, it comes off as going deeper. So, what’s the problem? Well, it isn’t faithful.
A faithful translation means you let the text speak for the text. You don’t read your own desire into the text. This commonly referred to as good exegesis.
In this case, here are some issues:
One word? Sort of. The text is Genesis 3:9. Start by typing that into a browser followed by the word interlinear. The first link will be the Bible Hub, click it. The word is ’ay·yek·kāh and you will see the [are] is in parentheses. It technically isn’t in the text but linguistically it is- but it is understood such as an understood “YOU” in English. Click the word and you are going to find there is only one occurrence of this “word” or conjunction of words in the Bible. This is called a Hapax Legomenon. The basic hermeneutical law or idea of any Hapax Legomenon is because it is rare don’t read too much into it. See if you can find how it is used outside of the Bible to give you a better understanding of how the text uses it. But in this case, it isn’t a “TRUE” Hapax Legomenon in the sense that if you click the root word above which is Strong’s 335 you will see the root is “ay” in Hebrew which occurs 36 times in the Old Testament. We have a pretty good idea of what it means! There are some words or phrases in the Bible where we don’t even have the root anywhere else and that is a better example of a Hapax Legomenon, but they are both technically considered Hapax Legomenon’s. This one we can see essentially means “where or how” which makes sense in the English translation “where are you?” I would encourage you to read the usage and cultural notes below the word. These are theologically very basic and at times arguable, but still give you a better start. In this case it notes that the word can come with distress or lament. Seems true to this text! It also notes that this particular word is often noted of spiritual locations within the cosmos. Again, true to the text. Most of the time these notes don’t get too controversial and are written by well noted scholars. This is sort of important because there are other similar words in Hebrew that could have been used without a sometimes-spiritual emphasis. We see this importance in Deuteronomy 32 when the text asks “Where are there gods.” It is also used in 1 Samuel 9:18 in regard to the SEER. It is used in 2 Samuel 15:2 in regard to the city which is interesting and could be signified as one of the reasons I believe in ancient times cities were gatherings of fallen spiritual beings and people aligned to their ways and rival to Yahweh. In Job 2 it is used to ask where “the satan” came from. The problem is (as you can see to the column on the right of all the verses using this Hebrew root) there are at least a few texts that don’t seem to take on “spiritual spatial” significance, it just means where? So that tells us we can’t read too much into a sense of cosmic space every time we see the word used. Hermeneutically it may or may not have spiritual bearing. Therefore, we have to determine from the rest of the text whether it does or not. In other words, we don’t have the “RIGHT” to attribute a spiritual significance to the simple text “where” unless something in the rest of the text gives it to us for certain. If the text doesn’t grant it, then we have to determine if we the ability to say it could go that way, but we don’t know for sure. It may or may not have spiritual spatial implications. In this text we already know they are in Eden, so the context gives us the sacred space.
To say that it is one word is accurate (I would have said the same thing), but it’s a bit complicated as in Hebrew bits of different words form one word. This is actually really helpful in determining what one word can mean because we can break the word up and study the microcosm of it. In this case you would think all the things the author of that post says the word means would be great if the word could have been textually broken up that way. The problem in this case is it doesn’t say all those things. We get “where” which (as we already noted) may or likely implies a spiritual search-find. You could take away from the text exegetically that God is “searching us out” or “looking for us” or perhaps even noting that the space is spiritual as I already alluded to. All of those things could be good exegesis. That is what the text gives us. Next, we have the understood {ARE}. We don’t really get anything magical from that. Then we have “you” essentially as formed into the singular word. There is really not much to exegete there either. He is talking to a certain person. DO we have the right to insert our name here? Well, the genre of this text is a historical narrative. Simply telling the story. So no, we don’t really have the right to insert our name. Because God was seeking out Adam in the garden doesn’t give us the textual ability to say He searches us out the same. He may or may not, but the text doesn’t give us that warrant. So here you see the author of the meme breaking some huge theological and hermeneutical laws. He takes a text that isn’t about him and tries to make it about him or us. This is called reading into the text. Using the Bible to twist it into saying what you want it to say without the merit of the text giving you that. Now could it mean that later God will act the same towards you? Yeah, later the text may do that but here it doesn’t. However, if you read the text doing that for others in the story over and over and over you might come to an ontological conclusion that if there are 26 examples of God acting this way in the narrative, we have then maybe he acts this way towards me too! (But to be clear, the text still wouldn’t give us that for certain.) Sometimes people take a lot of latitude to say the scripture means something that the text never gave or intended to give. That seems to be the case here. It simply isn’t good theology or maybe even theology at all. It is saying the Bible says something in a text that doesn’t say that.
“God’s first words after the fall” – We don’t know this either. The Bible doesn’t give us the full account. There may have been other words. Perhaps these are the first words in the Bible after the fall. But making the statement that the author makes in the way that he does isn’t true. Does this seem nitpicky? Maybe but there is a difference, and it matters in biblical interpretation and textual criticism.
This is classic for someone trying to make a doctrine or in the authors words, “a whole theology” over something the text doesn’t say. The text says nothing of the lost. Was Adam lost? We aren’t told that he was. Was he asking for a confession. Later scripture tells us that when we sin, we need to confess, but that isn’t in the text here. What about restoration and redemption? Well, everyone knows God wants restoration and redemption, right? But this text doesn’t go here either. Are you following me? There are texts that talk about redemption and restoration but not this one. In fact, maybe the opposite. This text leads to exile from the garden, that is the opposite of restoration. So what it does tell us is exile may come before restorative acts. That could be a more faithful takeaway than what the author of the meme comes up with. The author improperly says the text means something that isn’t given to us. It is as if the author is trying to write his own Bible and proof text the word to say what he wants it to say. The real problem is that we are saying the word says something that it isn’t. Maybe other places say that, but a better hermeneutic is to only exegete what the text says. Don’t add or fill in anything. There is no context for the takeaways the author asserts over the text.
CONCLUSION
A Faithful reading of the text means we only take away what the text gives us. We can’t read anything else into it. I can’t tell you how many times in a sermon I hear a pastor say “the Bible says this” and goes on to quote a verse that doesn’t say anything close to what the pastor says it said. In many cases we have become all too comfortable with accepting things like this, and it has led to a lot of bad consequences. It seems there are so many people are using the Bible for their own gain saying what they want it to ay and that is unfaithful to the text.
NOTE; The Bible Hub is free, easily accessible and works well. LOGOS is better but is $$$.
There is a lot about this popular 2024 post-election MEME that doesn’t sit well with me.
DAVID AS A PURE HEARTED PERSON
To be clear, I do think David had a heart postured after the Lord in his youth before he became king. I LOVE young David and the writings of his heart. They are some of my favorite parts of the Bible and have motivated me to be more holy than likely any other texts in the Bible. I do believe he was one that God intended to use to return all of Israel and eventually the world to be reconciled back to Yahweh. David seemed to have a heart postured towards the Lord in his early days, but the power, the lust, the flesh and the pride of life not only led him way, but likely all of Israel away from the LORD. David was “chosen” by God to be His tool to bring redemption back but accomplished the opposite.
He became the anti-hero of the world’s doing rather than the hero that God intended him to be.
As I have made the statement previously, I do not feel that a faithful reading of the Hebrew in 1 Sam 13:14 says that “David had a heart after God’s own heart” per the usual interpretation. John Walton convinced me that the expression doesn’t describe the inclination of the king but describes the sovereign choice of God. The claim is not that David pursues the heart of God as a spiritually mature person rather than pursuing his own ends; instead, David is the man that God has pursued with his own criteria in mind rather than Saul, who was someone who met the criteria of the people. It is a statement about God’s sovereignty, not about David’s spirituality or piety. John Walton has alluded then that it is therefore not something that we can aspire to in our own lives, and I would agree. Eventually David becomes the very image of Israel, fallen and completely idolatrous. To most theologians he is the Biblical archetype of the one who was intended by God to bring Israel back to Yahweh yet accomplished the exact opposite and led Israel away from God towards utter sinfulness and idolatry giving weight to the powers and principalities that had overtaken the rest of the ancient world at that time.
WAS DAVID REPENTANT?
David, when confronted with sin does sometimes seem authentically repentant (Psalm 51; 2 Sam 12:13-20), but then often continues to go on sinning. That isn’t the fruit of a truly repentant heart. In most cases if someone committed murder and said they repented but then goes on to do it again, I think we would come to the conclusion they didn’t genuinely repent when they said they did. Which seems actually worse; to put on a show of repentance (in the name of the LORD) but not really have a heart of repentance. It’s just an act.
DAVID AS A WARLORD
Scholars debate whether David’s destructive actions represent justice or unnecessary power mongerering. Did he feel “commissioned by God” in his somewhat empirical pursuit that started with Canaan or did this become a push for personal power and fame? Some argue David was playing the part of God’s hand of retributive justice, others criticize David for excessive continual violence opposite to that which God had sanctioned. Either way, much of it seemed contrary to God’s ways. Some try to justify the actions saying it was simply the culture, but I don’t see that theologically, as it seemed quite contrary to the character of God and what He had given them in the law. It seems David was doing what David wanted, not what Yahweh wanted. David’s kingship paints a picture of a powerful warlord who engaged in much bloodshed to establish and maintain control of the kingdom of Israel.
Here is a snapshot of those David personally killed or had killed:
Goliath 1 Samuel 17:49-51
Goliaths Brothers. David chose five smooth stones because Goliath had four brothers based on 2 Samuel 21:15–22. That passage lists four very large Philistines who were related to Goliath in some way: Ishbi-benob, Saph, Goliath, and an unnamed giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. “These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants” (2 Samuel 21:22).
When David heard the news about Saul and Jonathan’s deaths from an Amalekite messenger, he had the man executed (2 Samuel 1:1-16).
Baanah and Rechab presented Ish-Bosheth’s head to David hoping for a reward. However, David ordered them killed.
After becoming king, David executed seven of Saul’s sons. (2 Samuel 21:1-14)
THE WAR MONGERER
There are some tell tale signs of David’s movement away from God, this will surprise many, but David had served as a mercenary soldier for the Philistine king of Gath (see 1 Samuel 27:2-4), it took seven years of fighting for David (who had been anointed King of Judah) to defeat Saul’s son Ishbosheth and establish the United Monarchy of Israel and Judah in c.1004 BC (see 2 Samuel 2:8-11, 3:1-39 & 4:1-12). David quickly consolidated his position by capturing the Canaanite city of Jebus (Jerusalem) and establishes his new capital there, the City of David (2 Samuel 5:6-10). Having agreed on an alliance with the Phoenician king of Tyre (see 2 Samuel 5:11), David was able to turn against his former patrons, the Philistines, and defeat them in the Valley of Rephaim (see 2 Samuel 5:17-2). Over the next few years, David succeeded in completely subjugating the Philistines and taking control of the southern coastal plain cities of Gaza, Gath, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron (see 2 Samuel 8:1). Any red flags yet?
As I mention earlier, David’s son, Solomon, seemed to follow closely in David’s ways (or be used by him) and was able to complete the downfall of the Philistines by negotiating a dynastic marriage with the Egyptian pharaoh Haremheb’s daughter in c.970BC (see 1 Kings 3:1) and taking on the role of Egypt’s former ally. By building a chariot city at Gezer to defend the trading route from Egypt to Syria and Mesopotamia he was able to secure the support and protection of Egypt – one of the ‘superpowers’ of his day (see 1 Kings 10.26-27). Any other red flags?
Meanwhile, David had turned his attention to the northern frontier, and in an amazing series of military campaigns beyond the River Jordan, succeeded in defeating the people of Moab, the Arameans of Damascus, the Syrian King of Zobah, and the Edomites in the Valley of Salt (near the Dead Sea) (2 Samuel 8:1-14). In just under thirty years, David had succeeded in transforming a small kingdom in the central highlands of Judaea into a major empire stretching from the border of Egypt to the lowlands of Mesopotamia. In the process did he trade God’s kingdom for a personal pursuit of power and fame?
As you can see, this is a lot of bloodshed. 30 years of continual bloodshed. There is a good deal of deceit and lies between rulers and intermarriage. Idolatry was rampant. He named a city after himself and countless other things that seem to point back qualities that are rival to Yahweh, not in alignment with God but rather self serving initiatives.
THE RAPE OF BATHSHEEBA
Well into this bloodbath we read the story of Bathsheba in 2 Sam 11:1-27 during the siege of Rabbah (Amman) in c.997BC. I have made the statement a few times that I wouldn’t leave my kids alone in the same room with the “David of latter life” and this story is one of the reasons why. By 2 Samuel 5 God seems to still be with him, but within a few short chapters (2 Samuel 12) the LORD was not pleased with David because of his sin and neglect for God’s holiness and sends the prophet Nathan to confront him. You may have never considered the whole “Bathsheba problem.” As we examine the details, we see that it is actually sexual abuse of power, in other words, rape. Neither the text nor the context supports the conclusion that it was an affair between two consenting adults. People who think Bathsheba seduced David by bathing outside his window may not realize the Hebrew verb rachats, used for Bathsheba’s action here (2 Samuel 11:2), literally means “wash” which is how it is translated elsewhere in this narrative (2 Sam. 11:8; 12:20). There is no reason to assume that Bathsheba was naked, or that she was aware that the king, who should have been with his army, would have been watching from his rooftop like a peeping Tom (2 Sam. 11:1-2). This “kingly” act was common in other cultures where evil ran rampant. It was a fatal sign that David was leading Israel to be more like the fallen pagan-evil nations around them than the “set apart under Yahweh nation” that was called to be holy unto the LORD. It was detestable to the LORD at many different levels.
David’s rape-adultery and murder is described biblically as “despising the word of God by doing what is evil,” and “total contempt for the Lord,” (2 Samuel 12:7-9). David’s rape-adultery, murder, and abuse of power was not rewarded by God with more power. It actually resulted in many consequences such as division and violence in his family and those he was leading. Also, it resulted in a child dying, and his denial to build the temple. God is no longer with him.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN
The consequences of David’s sin are lasting and far-reaching. From Rape and incest with Amnon and Tamar, to the murder of Amnon by Absalom for the rape of his sister, the war among the Israelites leading to David fleeing Jerusalem in shame for fear of his life from his own son. We watch the downward spiral as eventually David is part of an illegitimate census that seemingly stirs the anger of the Lord against the Israelites and seventy thousand Israelites die from a pestilence allowed (and perhaps caused) by the LORD. David was a violent man in a violent world, a polygamist, an adulterer, and a murderer. There just isn’t any way to avoid seeing that if we read and believe the Bible. The progression in David’s sin reveals a callousing of his heart.
It has always seemed strange to me that the mainstream church doesn’t want to read the text as it is both plainly and deeply read here. It is as if they are covering him up and putting him on a pedestal. This is in part why the modern evangelical church has trust issues. Doing this seems so contrary to the character of God – attempting to cover up continued evil acts and promote David into something that God approves of. That isn’t the intention of the text nor a faithful rendering of it.
GOD’S FAVOR AND SPIRIT LEFT DAVID AND ISRAEL
As in the wilderness the cloud signified the Spirit of the Lord coming and going, we see that after Israel went on a bloodthirsty empirical pursuit led by King David, the spirit of the LORD is no longer with them which Nathan warned. One way to see this is to harmonize the Psalms. A theologically daunting task is to figure out when David wrote the Psalms. When you do this and carefully read them, I will challenge you to discover that after the encounter with Bathsheba the Lord was no longer with him, or perhaps looking onto him with favor. There are times we read from David’s perspective of crying out to the Lord, but it comes from a sort of tone of a drunk alcoholic asking why their friends have left them, which is likely exactly what it is. David wrote 73 of the 150 Psalms in the Bible, and carefully studying the ones he wrote and the dating of them will help you see what I propose in terms of his downward spiral taking Israel down with him in terms of a spiritual nation.
HARMONIZING THE PSALMS & HERMENEUTICS
After the death of Absolom if you harmonize the scriptural narrative (2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1 Chronicles) with the Psalms this is what we find. Remember a great part of theology is in determining the narrative. What are the voices? What is simply the story given for our interpretation and where is God in it. What do we read as being the thoughts of the characters involved, verses how God may have viewed the ongoings. That is as much for our interpretation as the red letters are, but the red letters are decisively clearer. Too many people read the entire Bible as a “thus saith the Lord” statement rather than understanding the literary narrative as it is presented. Not understanding the voices in the text has led many towards poor theology. It is vital for literary scholarship to apply literary criticism and textures of interpretative law to the narratives of the Bible for faithful reading.
2Sam 21 Famine and Gibeonites → Ps 29, 65 Last war with Philistines → Ps 36 2Sam 22 Song of deliverance → Ps 18, 144 2Sam 24 David dedicates Temple → Ps 30, 33, 131 (32) 1Kings 1 Solomon anointed King → Ps 47 1Chr 28 David‘s address → Ps 145 Concerning building Temple → Ps 104, 133, 86 1Chr 29 David‘s Thanksgiving Prayer → Ps 72 2Sam 23 David‘s last words → Ps 37 (138)
If you care to dive in deeper, Don Stewart and Blue Letter Bible have a rather deep post on this here. As I don’t agree with BLB on several topics, I do respect their mission and believe they are doing good things. I think what they have given us here is a worthy tool.
Again, I will challenge you to read the narrative. Where is God in it? He isn’t there any longer. The spirit has left the encampment.
Coming back to the meme…
We are not called to celebrate or try to “be like David” or even celebrate those who act like him, we are called to be like Jesus. And yes, Jesus works through fallen people but usually the ones on the road to transparent sanctification, not the ones that continue to live in sin. David’s story is a man who started out well and did not end well. He still carried a warring and vengeful spirit into the grave. From His kingship to death, we have a person that possibly had a chance to do more for God than any other person yet failed miserably accomplishing the near opposite leading Israel into idolatry that would give way to a return to slavery in exile. On his death bed he asked Solomon to kill Shimei, who confronted David on his bloodshed and abuse of power. (1 King 2:9, 2 Sam 16:8).
If you are making illusions that President trump resembles King David, well you might be right; but you’re actually making a statement more for Trump being far removed from God than you are that He is aligned with God. I hope that is not the case. My heart is that Trump as president is aligned with God not “rival” to Him as we see David was.
However, this isn’t all negative. I like the way the Bible project frame’s the early life of David. Jesus saw his role as Israel’s messiah was to patiently wait for God to exalt him as king, just like David waited. He anticipated persecution from his own people would come, just as it did for David. The stories about David provided the template of Jesus’ messianic vocation, and they epitomized the upside-down value system of God’s kingdom that Jesus was always talking about. It’s a kingdom where the poor and persecuted are the most exalted, and the powerless are God’s chosen ones (go and re-read the famous beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-7 and think about them in light of the story of David). When Jesus read the stories of David, it wasn’t to learn interesting facts about Israel’s history. Like the prophets, Jesus read His Bible as a prophetic history that was pointing towards the future hope of the messianic Kingdom of God. These stories about David were designed to foster that very hope, in Jesus’ day, and in our own.
But there was also a double meaning as Jesus often implied with such amazing rabbinical tact, there was a contranym within the narrative. David led Israel away from God and Jesus would lead the entire world back to God. It was the anti-hero next to the real hero. Luckily, we don’t need to make David into something he wasn’t a lifelong great pillar of faith – we have Jesus. David’s story and writings still gives us a great deal to glean from. Keep your eyes focused on Him and learn what you can from the rest of the story! The world wanted another Warlord David type to overthrow Rome, but instead they got a lamb to the slaughter. This is Jesus!
EXPEDITION 44 