Abishag the Shunamite as an Image of the Wisdom of King David in his Old Age

 

Paris Psalter, David holding open Psalter flanked by Wisdom and Prophecy, c. 950.

 

By St. Jerome

Excerpt from Letter LII: to Nepotian

Once David had been a man of war, but at seventy age had chilled him so that nothing would make him warm. A girl is accordingly sought from the coasts of Israel — Abishag the Shunamite — to sleep with the king and warm his aged frame. Does it not seem to you — if you keep to the letter that killeth — like some farcical story or some broad jest from an Atellan play? A chilly old man is wrapped up in blankets, and only grows warm in a girl's embrace. Bathsheba was still living, Abigail was still left, and the remainder of those wives and concubines whose names the Scripture mentions. Yet they are all rejected as cold, and only in the one young girl's embrace does the old man become warm. Abraham was far older than David; still, so long as Sarah lived he sought no other wife. Isaac counted twice the years of David, yet never felt cold with Rebekah, old though she was. I say nothing of the antediluvians, who, although after nine hundred years their limbs must have been not old merely, but decayed with age, had no recourse to girls' embraces. Moses, the leader of the Israelites, counted one hundred and twenty years, yet sought no change from Zipporah.

Holy Prophet Shemaiah

Prophet Shemaiah (Feast Day - January 8)

Verses

On earth you no longer proclaim the future Shemaiah,
For the prophetic tripod is above.

Shemaiah (Samea in the Septuagint) was a prophet in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:22-24; 2 Chronicles 11:2-4). According to 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, the intervention of Shemaiah prevented a war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam after the latter had led the northern tribes of Israel to separate from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. King Rehoboam had assembled 180,000 troops to forcefully bring back the ten rebellious tribes. Shemaiah was known as a "man of God", and he prophesied in God's words, "You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me." Shemaiah's words were obeyed and the army stood down. This was a timely reminder of the unity of the Hebrew race, notwithstanding the division of the kingdom.

How the Brazen Sea in the Temple of Solomon Symbolizes the Ministry of the Twelve Apostles

Almost a thousand years before Jesus set foot on the earth, the first temple dedicated to the God of Israel in Jerusalem was built out of Lebanon cedar (the finest there was), costly stones, and pure gold. Scripture indicates that over 183,000 men were involved in the construction of this glorious house of worship during the reign of King Solomon (1 Kings 5:13-16). The vessels that were housed within the temple, and those that remained in the inner court, were equally as elaborate. One of these vessels that stood on the right side of the sanctuary between the altar and the porch of the temple was an immense bronze basin known as “the Sea” (1 Kings 7:23; 2 Chronicles 4:2).

Holy Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite

Holy Prophet Achia (Feast Day - November 12)

Verses

Jeroboam bore testimony, the son of Nebat,

Of the Prophet Ahijah, before he died.

Ahijah (Achia) the Shilonite was a Levite prophet from Shiloh in the days of Solomon and Jeroboam, as mentioned in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. Ahijah encouraged a revolt against Solomon "because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel" and foretold to Jeroboam that he would become king (I Kings 11:29).

Open Letter to Every Fellow Traveler Who Thirsts for Truth

By Monk Christodoulos Gregoriates

In this letter, I visit you beloved reader to remind you of two soul-saving stories from the Old Testament which have the purpose of becoming a compass of truths in your life travels.

One day the Military General of Syria, Naaman, visited the Prophet Elisha to heal him from the illness of leprosy (4 Kings 5). Through a third party the Prophet Elisha told Naaman to go under the waters of the Jordan River seven times and he would be healed. Naaman however left angrily saying, "I thought that this person would come to visit me, stand over me in prayer and call on his God, and then put his hand on my ill body and heal me. Are not the rivers of Abana and Pharpar in Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not go under these waters and be healed?" His soldiers drew near and said, "The prophet did not tell you to do something very hard or impossible." And they made him follow the commandment of the prophet. Truly, Naaman believed. He went to the river Jordan, immersed himself seven times, and his body was cleansed of leprosy. His skin became like that of a small child. Yet from Naaman, the leprosy went to Prophet Elisha's1 servant, Gehazi. It went to Gehazi because he secretly ran to Naaman and received an unlawful gift for the miraculous healing and then concealed his sin from the prophet with a silly lie.

Holy Prophet Elijah (Elias) as a Model for our Lives

Prophet Elias or Elijah (Feast Day - July 20)

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

Elijah the Prophet lived around 816 B.C. and prophesied for twenty-five years. He came from the tribe of Aaron and from the city of Tishbi, which God gave to the Priests. Through prayer he did many miracles, and he was a zealot. When Christ was transfigured on Mount Tabor, he was present with Moses. "And behold, two men conversed with Him, appearing in glory and speaking of His departure, which was about to take place in Jerusalem" (Lk. 9:30-31).

The Prophet Joel, the Man of God From Judah

Holy Prophet Joel (Feast Day - March 30)

Verses

A lion subdued you Prophet of the Lord,
Having transgressed the word of the Lord.

According to the Orthodox Synaxarion, on March 30th we commemorate a prophet of the Old Testament simply known as "a man of God" in 1 Kings (3 Kingdoms) 13, though his name is revealed to us in 2 Chronicles 9:29 as Joel (some Orthodox listings name him Joad probably to not confuse him with the more well-known Prophet Joel who is celebrated on October 19).

The Holy Prophet Joel came from Judah and prophesied during the tenth century before Christ (See 1/3 Kings 13). The prophet was sent by the Lord from Judea to Bethel to denounce the Israelite king Jeroboam for polluting his nation with idol worship.

The Lord commanded the prophet, "Eat no bread, and drink no water, and do not return by the way you came" (1/3 Kings 13:9). The prophet Joel appeared to King Jeroboam and prophesied to him concerning the wrath of the Lord. When the king tried to gesture with his hand to seize the prophet, his hand suddenly withered. The king entreated the prophet to pray to the Lord that his hand would be healed. By Joel's prayer he received healing.

Deceived by the false prophet Emba of Bethel, Joel disobeyed the command given him by the Lord. The older man lied and told Joel that an angel had commanded him to bring him to his home and feed him. Because of his disobedience, the prophet Joel was killed by a lion. His body did not rest with his fathers, but was buried near the abode of the false prophet who led him astray.

It is not by coincidence that we commemorate this prophet on a day that most years falls within the Great Lenten period. Much like Adam and Eve in Paradise, Joel is commanded by the Lord to not eat or drink in the land during his censure of Jeroboam, yet he is deceived by the old prophet Emba who falsely tells him that an angel appeared to him and told him the opposite; so Joel went to his house and ate. We also have a command established by the Church to fast, and we are told by the Apostle Paul: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" (Gal. 1:8). Because Joel was deceived into thinking that God would contradict Himself in His command, this cost him his life, for the responsibility of a prophet (like that of every Christian) is great when it comes to obeying the commands of the Lord.

Some would probably see this punishment as too harsh. One wonders however if the outcome would have been different, like the outcome of Adam and Eve, if Joel had repented when the Lord told him of his disobedience. Instead, after the Lord tells him of his sin, we are told in verse 23: "So after he ate bread and drank water, he [Emba] saddled the donkey for him, and he departed." Joel the Prophet had plenty of time to repent, yet didn't, so along the road he is overtaken by a lion and killed. This was an example of Hebrews 12:6: "For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." This is why the Church commemorates him. He was chastened so as not to "be condemned with the world" (1 Cor. 11:32). However, Jeroboam, whose hand withered and was restored by his humility after beholding the power of God, "did not turn from his evil way" (v. 32); thus he was condemned with the world.

Another important lesson we learn from this Old Testament chapter is to be vigilant against false teachers and prophets, and this applies just as much to the mature Christian as much as the less mature. We learn here that following these false prophets, even if our intentions are right, will eventually lead us towards disobedience, and our disobedience will have consequences.

Why was Joel the Prophet deceived by the old prophet from Bethel? He did this for several reasons:

· The prophet from Bethel was probably older (an old prophet, 1 Kings 13:11) and had the respect of the man of God.

· The prophet from Bethel identified with the man of God ("I too am a prophet as you are").

· The prophet from Bethel claimed a spectacular experience ("an angel spoke to me").

· The prophet from Bethel claimed to speak for the Lord ("by the word of the Lord").

· The prophet from Bethel did not seem to be an idolater who should be shunned ("Bring him back with you to your house").

· The prophet from Bethel offered no reward, other than simple food ("he may eat bread and drink water").

Notice how subtle the deception was, yet great were the consequences. For his disobedience Joel was killed by a lion and buried with the false prophet who deceived him.

During Great Lent and especially Holy Week we are called to greater vigilance in the spiritual life and obedience to the commands of the Lord. This commemoration on March 30th is an important reminder and warning that if we will be vigilant and obedient, we will receive our just reward; otherwise there will be consequences, whether they will be for our greater good or not.