Politics are such a mixed up part of Israel’s history. Yahweh never intended for Israel to have a king. Yet years after entering into the promised land with appointed judges, Samuel was asked to install a king; merging the tribes into one nation. We know how well that turned out. While Samuel tries to explain the downside to that plan the people had already decided what they wanted. Yahweh gave them what they wanted, but was it the best thing for them? Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul explains Yahweh’s historical plan to the people of Turkey and Greece. Now we see that all nations can come to Yahweh. We also see the standard as to how all nations will be judged. What part do the believers in Christ play in this age? Using the revised calendar from J.R. Church, which adds back the 243 missing years of the Bible, we will look at the dating of years to gain perspective. Let’s explore.
The first thing to notice is that Samuel was already old, but he lived for quite a while after this event.
1 Samuel 8:1 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G5613 as G1095 Samuel grew old, G* G2532 that G2525 he placed G3588 G5207 his sons G1473 G1348 as magistrates G3588 G* in Israel.
Samuel appoints his sons as judges. Whenever one places their own progeny as rulers the people expect that those children will behave like their father. The reality is that if there is not a higher expectation placed on those children, they will become corrupted. This is what happened with Samuel’s sons.
1 Samuel 8:2 G2532 And G3778 these are G3588 the G3686 names G3588 G5207 of his sons. G1473 G3588 The G4416 first-born G* was Joel, G2532 and G3686 the name G3588 of the G1208 second G* Abiah, G1348 magistrates G1722 in G* Beer-sheba.
A magistrate is a judge or judger. Someone who sits in a place of authority and decides cases. At this time in Israel’s history, Israel was governed by judges. If we remember, the tribes were dispersed in the land during the time of Joshua, but not all the Canaanite nations were driven out. Two of the Canaanite nations were actually in godly service to Yahweh, as Shem and Eber’s school had been located there for many years. Those were the Gibeonites and Jebusites. Jebus was like a Switzerland, surrounded on all sides but neutral. Each tribe had their judges. Each tribe had their Levites. But as time went on, the levitical priesthood diminished, and merged into its own city between Reuben and Gad.
The entire region had been Shem’s inheritance, and as per Noah, anyone who moved into his brother’s land was cursed. Abraham understood this and sent his seven sons into other areas to live as Isaac was the rightful heir to the land of Canaan, later known as Israel. Abrahams heirs are as numerous as the sand and stars but not all his heirs are of Isaac and Jacob. That line of Abraham is rather small in comparison to the rest.
1 Samuel 8:3 G2532 And G3756 [2did not G4198 3go G3588 G5207 1his sons] G1473 G1722 in G3598 his way. G1473 G2532 And G1578 they turned aside G3694 after G3588 the G4930 contribution, G2532 and G2983 they took G1435 bribes, G2532 and G1578 turned aside G1345 ordinances.
“And not proceed the his sons in his way. And fall away from backwards the joint contribution for public burdens and received gifts and fall away from statutes/equitable deeds.”
The word συντέλεια sunteleia usually means entire completion or consummation but the LSJ also notes it as a “joint payment” or “joint contribution for public burdens”. Samuel’s sons were helping themselves to the taxes and donations for public burdens. What is a public burden? Well without running water, people usually went outside the city for bathroom use. While wealthy people had chamber pots and servants to empty them, the regular people used a dung hill. Later, pits were dug for latrine use. But at that time the place outside the city for human waste needed to be maintained. This is one type of public burden. Pigs were part of the clean up process as they ate all the waste humans and what other animals left behind. Someone had to corral the pigs, loose the pigs, and corral them again. This is why people in those days did not eat pigs.
There are other public burdens like well digging and guarding the gates of the city, but whatever the joint payment was, Samuel’s sons Joel and Abiah were skimming off the public funds. It simply seems to be the way that most public servants behave. As soon as some people get a little power, they pursue corrupt ways to enrich themselves. Samuel’s sons also took bribes. There were people who pay their way out of a bad situations with their wealth. If a judge can be bribed then there is no fair and equitable justice system. If the justice system becomes corrupt, people shimmy their way up to the top via more corruption to ensure their wealth. Joel and Abiah also fell away from righteousness, justice, and established ordinances. The very laws of Moses were skewed to suit themselves and those bribing them.
What happens if each region of Israel has unjust judges? The people suffer.
Ecc 5:8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
Ecc 5:9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
If there is oppression and extortion of the day laborer and pillaging via lawsuits and unjust judgments, we are not to be surprised. Yahweh advocates for widows and orphans, but he also has a judicial system for us as well. Solomon says that there are some judges that are higher than these judges, and other judges higher than those. We have earthly judges, then we have principalities, ruling angels, either fallen or not, and then Yahweh is over those principalities. Then, matter of factly, Solomon says that even kings need those working in the fields. As we see today, elites try to enslave the masses with green new schemes that ultimately cause the masses harm. When the people cry out, Yahweh hears. If the people do not cry out to Yahweh then he does not get involved. Notice what Jesus says, always pray, always.
Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luk 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luk 18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luk 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
This parable is very interesting. First, we see a judge that is probably like Samuel’s sons, who did not fear the Elohim and didn’t regard regular day-laborers. We do not know much about the widow, just that she wanted justice. We know nothing about her heritage, her status in the community, or her immediate family. All we know is she wanted vengeance and vindication on someone she called an adversary. Was this widow’s opponent really adversarial? We do not know. That is not the point. The widow persisted in crying out to the judge. He probably had a headache from all the toil and bruising. The word translated here as weary, which should be “bruising”, is hupōpiazō which means “to hit under the eye”. It was like she was kept hitting him in the face every day.
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Now Jesus clears a few things up for us. The “elect” which are the “chosen” are the comparison. The woman was not a Hebrew, she was not chosen. The unjust judge got tired of her nagging, but the comparison is that the Elohim hears the cry of his chosen. Jesus then says the Elohim has patience with his chosen. His chosen, Israel, did not always listen to the Elohim. They did not walk in His ways, and would somewhat circle back to Him when life got bad. Jesus says that the Elohim has patient endurance with his chosen and he will vindicate them quickly. But when Jesus comes back on the Day of the Lord, will there be anyone who believes in Him left on earth? If we do our best now to teach others, even if they reject Jesus today they will probably remember what we said and will not reject him in the tribulation. We can focus on witnessing now but the fruit of our witness may be left for the tribulation.
Now think about this, most of the problems that we all have lie in our disobedience to Him. When the Elohim says to go left and we go right, we find ourselves in sin. We brought the judgment of Satanas upon ourselves. Sometimes the judgment of Satanas is delayed for several generations. Then we reap the punishment that a prior generation set in motion. What do I mean? Let’s continue with Samuel.
1 Samuel 8:4 G2532 And G4867 [3gathered together G435 1 the men G* 2of Israel], G2532 and G3854 they came G4314 to G* Samuel G1519 into G* Ramah.
In order for the men of Israel to gather themselves together and visit Samuel in Ramah, they must have planned this meeting. Ramah was where Samuel’s ekklesia was, a church school for the prophets. These tribal men must have started a campaign. A few of them must have pitched this idea to one tribe, then the next, and the next. They were campaigning the way that we do today. Maybe they went door to door. Maybe they held meetings at the public well. Maybe they went into the market and stood on a soap box to tell everyone how their idea would help them to prosper. Although there are only a few words here, we know that this had to be an organized event. People from every tribe had to be represented to present this idea. Some people would have had to travel a long distance to get to Ramah so this was not a spur of the moment gathering. Maybe it took over a year to promote and gather the leaders of each tribe at Ramah. It does not seem as if the Levites were invited to this gathering or to express their opinions of this idea.
1 Samuel 8:5 G2532 And G2036 they said G1473 to him, G2400 Behold, G1473 you G1095 grow old, G2532 and G3588 G5207 your sons G1473 G3756 do not G4198 go G1722 in G3588 G3598 your way. G1473 G2532 And G3568 now G2525 place G1909 over G1473 us G935 a king G1340.1 to adjudicate G1473 for us G2531 as G3956 all G3588 the G1484 nations!
The men who gathered tell Samuel that he is old. It seems they were concerned that he might die soon. They also tell Samuel that they know that his sons are corrupt. It might also be that they were concerned that when Samuel died other judges would become as corrupt or more corrupt than Samuel’s sons Joel and Abiah. We can understand then that on the one hand they were concerned and were trying to protect their future, yet on the other hand this was not what the Elohim had in mind for Israel.
The way Israel looked, like a loose group of nomadic tribes, also concerned the leaders of the tribes. As individual small nations within Israel, the tribes that bordered foreign nations probably had a higher concern of outside invasion, and they probably felt like a central military would help. It would be hard at the time of a surprise attack to contact and mobilize every other tribe for help.
Let’s take note of Samuel’s sons. It was known by the people that Joel and Abiah were not going in Samuel’s ways. Samuel grew up hearing from the Elohim. He had a life long relationship with the Elohim. Samuel knew Yahweh. But as it seems, even in our day, those people who have a close relationship with Yahweh have children who turn away from Him. Why? We can only assume that Satanas hits them hard so that they fall away. Like David’s Psalms show us, a relationship with Yahweh is hard earned. Just like handing down the kingdom to an heir, people thought to do the same in the prophetic. That is not a good idea. As we also see with David, the only one out of all his sons to take the kingdom was Solomon. Yet even Solomon fell away from the Holy Spirit towards the end of his life. It almost seems normal that heirs of rulers and prophets fall away from the Elohim, and that they cannot ride their parents successes into a relationship with Yahweh. Everyone needs to let them fall, in order for them to find Him. They have to slug their way through life to find Yahweh just like their prophetic parents did.
1 Samuel 8:6 G2532 And G1510.7.3 [3was G4190 4wicked G3588 1the G4487 2matter] G1722 in G3788 the eyes G* of Samuel, G5613 as G2036 they said, G1325 Give G1473 to us G935 a king G3588 G1340.1 to adjudicate G1473 for us! G2532 And G4336 Samuel prayed G* G4314 to G2962 the lord .
Why would Samuel think that this is a wicked idea? Yahweh was supposed to be Israel’s defender and protector. People could never do what Yahweh could, however as people slipped further away from Yahweh, Samuel’s sons included, they stopped trusting in Yahweh. They became fearful.
The tribe of Benjamin is a good example of evil and wickedness that plagued that tribe, insomuch that the other tribes had to slaughter all the men in Benjamin and repopulate the tribe with women from Jabeshgilead/Jabis Galaad. Jabeshgilead was east of the Jordan river. Because Jabeshgilead did not help fight against Benjamin their tribe was slaughtered. Except for 400 virgins which were given to Benjamin. However since that was not enough virgins to repopulate Benjamin they decided to also take 200 virgin women from Shiloh, which had been in Ephraim. Shiloh had been a sacred city, housing the tabernacle of Moses until Eli’s sons did evil there, and the city of Shiloh fell into insignificance. Therefore the tribe of Benjamin was a mixed tribe from that time on. When we talk about the evil of the sons of Belial living in Benjamin, we have to understand that their sin was rape. They raped men and women. This was the evil that they were nearly destroyed for, wanting to rape a Levite, yet raping his wife and causing her death. Keeping this in mind, the first king of Israel will hail from Benjamin and he will have been of mixed blood.
1 Samuel 8:7 G2532 And G2036 the lord said G2962 G4314 to G* Samuel, G191 Hearken G3588 to the G5456 voice G3588 of the G2992 people! G2505 as G302 whatever G2980 they should speak G4314 to G1473 you, G3754 for G3756 it is not G1473 you G1848 they treat with contempt, G237.1 but only G1473 me G1848 they treat with contempt, G3588 G3361 to not G936 reign G1909 over G1473 them.
Of course Yahweh had the right perspective. The people rejected Yahweh and didn’t want Yahweh to rule over them. They would rather have humans rule over them instead of Yahweh. Similar to what took place in the wilderness with Moses, the people told Moses to talk to Yahweh and then come back and tell the people what He said. The tribes were thinking that they could appoint one ruler who would follow Yahweh, and then tell the people what Yahweh says. Samuel took this personally.
1 Samuel 8:8 G2596 According to G3956 all G3588 the G2041 works G3739 which G4160 they did G1473 to me, G575 from G3739 which G2250 day G321 I led G1473 them G1537 from G* Egypt, G2532 and G2193 until G3588 G2250 this day; G3778 G2532 even G1459 as they abandoned G1473 me, G2532 and G1398 served G2316 other gods, G2087 G3779 so G1473 they G4160 do G2532 also G1473 to you.
Yahweh brings up the point that they have been rejecting Him since he led them out of Egypt. The people were mixing, serving other gods, and abandoned both Yahweh and Samuel. Just as Samuel’s children were symptomatic of the entire nation. People fought to inhabit their own country which had been stolen from them by Canaan and then in the times of relative peace they abandoned Yahweh and the man of God. The word “abandoned”, egkataleipō, is a three part word, “in”, “downward”, and “leave”. The nation was to be “in” Yahweh but they left or quit being in Yahweh. The idea is that they didn’t want to be in a downward relationship with Yahweh, so they left Him. In part they wanted to be their own god.
1 Samuel 8:9 G2532 And G3568 now G191 hearken G3588 to G5456 their voice! G1473 G4133 Only G3754 that G1263 in testifying G1263 you should testify G1473 to them, G2532 and G518 you shall report G1473 to them G3588 the G1345 ordinance G3588 of the G935 king, G3739 which G936 shall reign G1909 over G1473 them.
10 G2532 And G2036 Samuel spoke G* G3956 all G3588 the G3056 words G3588 of the G2962 lord G4314 to G3588 the G2992 people, G3588 of the ones G154 asking G3844 of him for G1473 G935 a king.
Yahweh is going to give the people what they want. But there is some bad news.
1 Samuel 8:11 G2532 And G2036 he said, G3778 This G1510.8.3 will be G3588 the G1345 ordinance G3588 of the G935 king, G3588 of the one G936 reigning G1909 over G1473 you. G3588 G5207 Your sons G1473 G2983 he shall take G2532 and G5087 put G1473 them G1722 in G716 his chariots G1473 G2532 and G1722 among G2460 his horsemen, G1473 G2532 and G4390 they shall run in front G3588 G716 of his chariots. G1473
The people probably wanted an army and now their sons will be the army. Their sons won’t be officers in the army, they will be the foot soldiers and the chariot drivers. Now instead of Yahweh’s protection they will have their own protection.
1 Samuel 8:12 G2532 And G5087 he will appoint G1473 them G1438 for himself G5506 as commanders of thousands, G2532 and G1543 commanders of hundreds, G2532 G722 to plow G3588 G721.2 his plowing, G1473 G2532 and G2325 to harvest G2326 his harvest, G1473 G2532 and G5166 to gather the vintage G5166.2 of his gathering the crops, G1473 G2532 and G4160 to make G4632 items G4170.1 for his warfare, G1473 G2532 and G4632 items G716 for his chariots. G1473
Here is how the country will change. Their sons will be the army. They will also plow and harvest crops for the king. This means that the sons who worked their own family fields, would not have the time to work for the family. They will sow and will gather the harvest in a far away tribe. They will make vessels for war and they will make chariots. Samuel is warning them that their sons will not be about the family business, but only for the kings business.
1 Samuel 8:13 G2532 And G3588 G2364 your daughters G1473 G2983 he will take G1519 for G3460.2 perfumers, G2532 and G1519 for G3095.3 cooks, G2532 and G1519 for G4070.1 baking.
Samuel says that their daughters are now the property of the king as well. They will be producers of fragrances and perfumes. They will be cooks. They also will be fallen, or servants to the king. Therefore instead of the family life that they could have had, they will no longer be their own.
1 Samuel 8:14 G2532 And G3588 G68 your fields, G1473 G2532 and G3588 G290 your vineyards, G1473 G2532 and G3588 G1638 [3olive groves G1473 1your G3588 G18 2good] G2983 he will take G2532 and G1325 will give G3588 to G1401 his servants. G1473
Samuel tells them that their land will be taken and given to others. Sounds a bit like the king will be overtly dominant in what he takes as his. We want to think here about Solomon, Israel’s third king. He was commissioned to build the temple for Yahweh and he used the people as laborers and slaves to do it. He used every bit of wealth available to buy and utilize the materials for the temple. Solomon instituted a tax in Israel. He also built a palace. Samuel’s words are not just about Saul, they are about every king that Israel will have.
1 Samuel 8:15 G2532 And G3588 G4690 your seeds G1473 G586 he will take a tenth, G2532 and G3588 G290 of your vineyards, G1473 G2532 and G1325 he will give G3588 to G2135 his eunuchs, G1473 G2532 and G3588 to G1401 his servants. G1473
The king will take what he needs from the people and give it to his eunuchs and servants. Basically the people will be taxed to run the kings government. Keep in mind that before having a king they were already tithing to the tabernacle and to the Levites, but now they will be tithing to the king as well.
1 Samuel 8:16 G2532 And G3588 G1401 your menservants, G1473 G2532 and G3588 G1399 your maidservants, G1473 G2532 and G3588 G1009.3 [3herds G1473 1your G3588 G18 2good], G2532 and G3588 G3688 your donkeys G1473 G2983 he shall take; G2532 and G586 he will take a tenth G1519 for G3588 G2041 his works. G1473
This seems like quite a great deal for whoever becomes king. He can simply take whatever he wants from the people.
1 Samuel 8:17 G2532 And G3588 G4168 [2of your flocks G1473 G586 1he will take a tenth]. G2532 And G1473 you G1510.8.5 will be G1473 to him G1519 for G1401 servants.
Now Samuel gets to the point, the people will be enslaved to their king. Some kings were good kings and some kings were evil kings, but no matter which one was in charge, they would be slaves.
1 Samuel 8:18 G2532 And G994 you shall yell G1722 in G3588 G2250 that day G1565 G1537 before G4383 the face G3588 G935 of your king, G1473 G3739 of which G1586 you chose G1438 for yourselves; G2532 and G3756 [2will not heed G1873 G2962 1 the lord] G1473 you G1722 in G3588 G2250 those days. G1565
Samuel sees ahead to the times of the evil kings and that there will be no recourse for the people. Yahweh is giving them what they want. When the people are ruled by an evil king they will cry for help but Yahweh will not listen.
1 Samuel 8:19 G2532 And G3756 [3willed not G1014 G3588 1the G2992 2people] G191 to hearken to G3588 the G5456 voice G3588 G* of Samuel. G2532 And G2036 they said G1473 to him, G3780 Not so, G237.1 but let it be G3754 that G935 a king G1510.8.3 will be G1909 over G1473 us.
The people were set in their decision so that nothing Samuel said would change their mind. This took place in about 1096 BCE. We can see from this point in time all the years of evil kings that Israel suffered through. We see the kingdom split, we see famines, we see the temple defiled for over four hundred years, we see the captivity of both the northern and southern kingdom. The third captivity of Judah to Babylon took place around 588 BCE. Therefore we see that the reign of the kings lasted about 508 years. After the southern kingdom was in captivity for seventy years Yahweh sent Cyrus to rescue Judah by Cyrus conquering Babylon. Yet Israel would never be her own kingdom until recent years in our own time. Later the Greeks overtook Assyria and the region, yet they preserved the written words of the prophets for Israel. Then Rome overtook the Greeks, and eventually the Messiah came, who they rejected. This shows us clearly that Israel was unable to govern herself and instead should have allowed Yahweh to be her king and ruler; but they quit Yahweh instead.
1 Samuel 8:20 G2532 And G1510.8.4 [3will be G2532 2also G1473 1we] G2505 as G3956 all G3588 the G1484 nations. G2532 And G1340.1 [3shall adjudicate G1473 4for us G935 2king G1473 1our], G2532 and G1831 he shall go forth G1715 in front of G1473 us, G2532 and G4170 he will wage G3588 G4171 our war. G1473
Again we see the thinking of the tribal leaders, they wanted a national army. They could have done this apart from having a king, but they wanted a king to rule over them, as well as to establish a national army.
1 Samuel 8:21 G2532 And G191 Samuel heard G* G3956 all G3588 the G3056 words G3588 of the G2992 people, G2532 and G2980 he spoke G1473 them G1519 into G3588 the G3775 ears G2962 of the lord .
22 G2532 And G2036 the lord said G2962 G4314 to G* Samuel, G191 Hearken G3588 to G5456 their voice, G1473 G2532 and G936 let [2reign G1473 3unto them G935 1a king]! G2532 And G2036 Samuel said G* G4314 to G435 the men G* of Israel, G665.1 Let [2run G1538 1each man] G1519 to G3588 G4172 his city! G1473
Yahweh told Samuel to listen to the people and to give them a king. Samuel tells them to all run to their own cities. This is an interesting problem. The people got what they wanted, not what Samuel or Yahweh wanted, and then spent a good portion of five hundred years complaining about their own situation. Notice what Abram was told.
Genesis 15:12 G4012 And about G1161 G2246 [2of the sun G1424 1 the descent] G1611 a change of state G1968 fell upon G3588 G* Abram. G2532 And G2400 behold, G5401 [3fear G4652 2dark G3173 1a great] G1968 fell upon G1473 him.
Remember the word translated here “change of state”? It is the word ἔκστασις ekstasis, ecstasy. This is a vision, as per verse 1, Abram had regarding Yahweh’s covenant with Abram,
1 Samuel 8:13 G2532 And G2046 it was said G4314 to G* Abram, G1097 In knowing G1097 you will know G3754 that G3941 [3a sojourner G1510.8.3 2will be G3588 G4690 1your seed] G1473 G1722 in G1093 a land G3756 not G2398 their own, G2532 and G1402 they will enslave G1473 them, G2532 and G2559 will afflict G1473 them, G2532 and G5013 humble G1473 them G5071 four hundred G2094 years.
Due to famine, Jacob and his sons went into Egypt as free men. They came out of Egypt four hundred years later. They should have remembered how it felt to be enslaved by rulers. However, today, we can look backwards and see the things that should have been done differently. We also find out something interesting which Paul explains in Turkey at Lystra.
Acts 14:16 G3739 who G1722 in G3588 the G3944 [2passing by G1074 1generations] G1439 allowed G3956 all G3588 the G1484 nations G4198 to go G3588 by G3598 their ways; G1473
“That in the departed generations permit/left alone all the nations walk the their journey.”
Yahweh allows nations to walk their own journey. However he bears witness everywhere for us to see, if we want to find Him. Yahweh allowed every nation in past generations to go their own way. Now he gives us Jesus as the point for all nations to be judged. Today, no matter what mistakes were made, Jesus is the hinge point as to judgment. Notice what Paul says on Mars Hill, speaking to the Athenians.
Acts 17:24 G3588 The G2316 God, G3588 the one G4160 making G3588 the G2889 world G2532 and G3956 all G3588 the things G1722 in G1473 it, G3778 this one G3772 [3of heaven G2532 4and G1093 5earth G2962 2Lord G5224 1being], G3756 does not G1722 [2in G5499 3handmade G3485 4temples G2730 1dwell],
25 G3761 nor G5259 by G5495 the hands G444 of men G2323 attending G4326 is there any feeling any want, G5100 G1473 himself G1325 giving G3956 to all G2222 life G2532 and G4157 breath, G2532 and G3588 G3956 all things;
The Elohim created the world. The Elohim created all things in heaven and earth. Yahweh is Lord of heaven and earth. Yahweh Elohim does not live in handmade temples. Yahweh Elohim does not need the hands of manfaced to serve him because He doesn’t have any needs. Yahweh gave life and breath to all things.
Acts 17:26 G4160 and he made G5037 G1537 of G1520 one G129 blood G3956 every G1484 nation G444 of men, G2730 to dwell G1909 upon G3956 all G3588 the G4383 face G3588 of the G1093 earth, G3724 having confirmed G4367 beforehand G2540 times G2532 and G3588 the G3734 boundaries G3588 of their dwelling -- G2733
We are all one blood, even if we come from different nations and live in different places on earth. All earth dwellers are marked out and instructed for a proper time and proper set territory. The next verse is part of this sentence.
“… reside on all the face the earth marked out instruct proper time and the setting of boundaries search for the Yahweh….”
Acts 17:27 G2212 to seek G3588 the G2962 Lord, G1487 if G686 then perhaps G1065 G5584 they might grope after G1473 him, G2532 and G2147 might find him, G2544 though indeed G3756 [2not G3112 3far G575 4from G1520 6one G1538 5each G1473 7of us G5224 1being].
All people are made from out of one blood, all ethnos, all ethnic groups of manfaced. Even the mixed genos still have part of the same blood as manfaced. The idea is that small tribes and small governments, residing on the earth, marked out and instructed at the proper time, who are set in their boundaries, will grope around for Yahweh, and may actually find him. Therefore, no matter where we live, where we grew up, or what tribe we hail from, all of us seek and search for Yahweh. The set time for the nations to be instructed about Yahweh has come, Jesus has been born and now nations can come to Jesus.
Israel was the first nation that was supposed to search and find Yahweh. After many exodus miracles they were supposed to live under His care and not under a king. After their four hundred years in Egypt, as Abram was told, Abram’s seed was to come out of Egypt. They were to come out not to put themselves into more bondage, but to live as free before Yahweh. During the time of the exodus Yahweh showed them many miracles, making Himself known to them. The exodus occurred in 1492 BCE, and the time when they are asking Samuel for a king is 1096 BCE. That is 396 years without a king; instead they had judges. The time they spent without a king was nearly four hundred years, then they spent the next five hundred years with their own various kings. In total, from the time of Samuel trying to talk them out of having a king, Israel spent 3,044 years until they gained back rule (1948). Of that time, for 2,536 years Israel was under someone else’s rule, not her own. We see that this one decision did not help Israel at all. However Yahweh made another way. Everyone will now be judged by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Understand, if Israel had kept Yahweh as their national ruler and submitted to Him, then they would have welcomed the Messiah when he was born. Then they would have been the nation that led other nations to salvation. They only needed to trust Him.
Acts 17:28 G1722 [2in G1473 3him G1063 1For] G2198 we live, G2532 and G2795 move, G2532 and G1510.2.4 are; G5613 as G2532 also G5100 some G3588 of the G2596 [2among you G1473 G4163 1poets] G2046 have said, G3588 For of him G1063 G2532 [2also G1085 3a family G1510.2.4 1we are].
Paul is reciting some popular philosophers and actors from this time period. Why? Because he is trying to make a point that these people can relate to. Using their own culture he weaves these truths together. It is time for Athens to learn about Jesus.
Acts 17:29 G1085 [2a family G3767 3then G5224 1Being] G3588 G2316 of God, G3756 ought we G3784 G3543 to think G5557 gold, G2228 or G696 silver, G2228 or G3037 stone, G5480 an imprint G5078 of a craft, G2532 and G1761 thinking G444 of man G3588 [3the G2304 4divine G1510.1 1to be G3664 2like]?
We are the family of God. The family cannot be made with our hands. Children don’t create the family the parents do. We cannot unite with our own strength either. Instead, the death, burial, and resurrection unites us all.
Acts 17:30 G3588 [3the G3303 1Indeed G3767 2then] G5550 times G3588 G52 of ignorance G5237 [2having overlooked G3588 G2316 1God], G3569 at present G3853 exhorts G3588 G444 all men G3956 G3837 everywhere G3340 to repent;
There have always been times of ignorance among the nations. What Israel could not do by showing us how prosperous a nation can be with consistent worship of Yahweh Elohim and which can benefit every nation, we can now only see in glimpses of their history. But now is the time to repent. Nations, tribes, and individuals, have the opportunity to come to Yahweh. Now is better than later. Why?
Acts 17:31 G1360 because G2476 he set G2250 a day G1722 in G3739 which G3195 he is about G2919 to judge G3588 the G3611 world G1722 in G1343 righteousness, G1722 by G435 a man G3739 in whom G3724 he confirmed, G4102 [2belief G3930 1having furnished] G3956 to all, G450 having raised G1473 him G1537 from G3498 the dead.
He set a day. Yahweh Elohim set a day to judge the world in righteousness in Jesus Christ who rose up on the third day. Israel may have been the nation that was to teach the other nations about Yahweh, but today all nations can know Yahweh. Yahweh once allowed all nations to go their own way. Yahweh set specific times for the other nations to come to know Him and this is now the way everyone is judged. This has been in effect since Jesus died and rose up on the third day, which was about 1,992 years ago.
Now think back to the nation of Israel wanting a king. They did not need a ruler over them to protect them, they were supposed to be the example of Yahweh’s protection from a nation or tribe that worshipped Yahweh. It was nearly four hundred years of the tribes living on their own when they no longer trusted the power and authority of Yahweh. By Israel’s example for better or worse, the world knows about Yahweh because the Greeks preserved their history for them. Jesus explained that even the unjust judge gave a nagging widow what she wanted, because she begged day and night. Imagine what the Elohim does for his chosen?
As Solomon warned, we should not be surprised when the poor are oppressed and there is a violent perverting of judgment and justice because Yahweh knows. He still reigns. Today the elite globalists intend to make more people poor, not to just oppress the poor. They want a servant class. How else can we explain the fact that worldwide politicians launder our money back to themselves over and over and over again. Today we see people violently attempt to pervert judgment. How do we explain the leaking of judgments a month before being made official. How else can we explain planned protests before judgments are announced. More so we see violent protests in front of judges homes, when they are in public, and violent threats made against their families. This too is a perverting of judgment. We also see injustice and the perverting of justice where victims are arrested as criminals, where perverted people who abuse children are not punished, and society is “schooled” by many incompetent lecturers and sociopaths on the pronouns dejure. One bad ruler can destroy a nation. The Elohim will avenge his own chosen who cry out to him day and night even though he is patient with us. Patient? Why wait, why not avenge us now? It may be that there are still people groping around in the dark searching for Jesus. Will Jesus find faith on the earth when he comes?
