2 Samuel – Chapter 16: David and Ziba

After several chapters in Psalms, we now move back to the book of 2 Samuel.  In our last look in this chapter, a brother raped a sister and God sat by and did nothing to stop it.

“When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him.” 2 Samuel 16:1

The first verse sets the context of the story.

“Then the king (David) said to Ziba, ‘All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.’” – 2 Samuel 16:4

Um.  Okay.  Sure?

“As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.” – 2 Samuel 16:5

Understandable given God took over Saul’s body and forced Saul to commit crimes against others.  This was all part of God’s plan to plant David as the leader of the Israelites.  The big question is why God didn’t do this is a peaceful way.  Wouldn’t an all-knowing and all-loving god want peace?

“As he cursed, Shimei said, ‘Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!’” – 2 Samuel 16:7-8

Finally someone calls out David as a murderer.

“It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.” – 2 Samuel 16:12

What misery is David referring to?  God has made him leader of the Israelites.  To be fair, God unjustly had David’s wives raped and his son killed.

“Ahithophel answered, ‘Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.’” – 2 Samuel 16:21

This is the advice Athithophel gave Absalom.  Absalom is the brother of Annon, the one who raped his own sister.  Abaslom waited two years to do anything to Annon and then killed him.  Back to the advice.  Sleep with David’s concubines so you can be obnoxious?  Only in the Bible!

“So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.” – 2 Samuel 16:22

David has a lot of concubines.  Surely Abaslom did not sleep with all of them in one night.  How many nights did it take?

“Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.” – 2 Samuel 16:23

Seriously?  The advice of sleeping with concubines, just to be obnoxious, is the advice of someone who inquires of God?  You must be kidding me!

This chapter is more evidence of the immorality of the Bible.  Advice to sleep with concubines just to be obnoxious?  Wow!  I’ve said it before many times and I’ll say it again many times.  Reading the Bible from cover to cover is the quickest path from Christianity to Atheism.

Coming Soon:  2 Samuel – Chapter 17:  Untitled

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Psalm – Chapter 55: For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

Most chapters in Psalms are quite short, but this chapter is a bit longer, so let’s jump right in.

“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me.” – Psalm 55:4

Oh!  Something God knows how to fix.  Hearts are his specialty.  Unfortunately he only has one ‘cure’ and that is hardening of the heart.  😊

“Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.” – Psalm 55:9

I don’t doubt there is violence and strife in the city, but who/what caused it?  We’ve seen time and time again God causing violence to other groups of people, but also causing violence among the Israelites.

“As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.” – Psalm 55:16

Except it doesn’t sound like the Lord saves you based on the first fifteen verses!  So which is it?  Has God ignored you or saved you?  It sounds like he’s ignoring you.  Or doesn’t exist.

“Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” Psalm 55:17

My point exactly!  If you need to cry out in distress multiple times per day, every day, is God really hearing you?  Doesn’t sound like it.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you, he will never let the righteous be shaken.” – Psalm 55:22

Except this very chapter argues against this!  Either that or there is not a single righteous person on the Earth!

“But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay, the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days.” – Psalm 55:23

The bloodthirsty will only live half a typical lifetime.  Does this apply to God as well since he is the most bloodthirsty of them all?

Psalm 55 is an interesting chapter in contradiction.  Once again, God saves all.  God punishes the wicked.  Yet this very chapter the author states that he cries out in distress multiple times per day.  God is not stepping in to save or protect from the wicked.  The wicked one is God.  Not the humans.  Remember, none of this happens if God doesn’t harden the hearts of the Egyptians.

Coming Soon:  2 Samuel – Chapter 16:  David and Ziba

Revelation 8:10

It’s Crazy Bible Verse Tuesday and today’s verse is a great example of bad science in the Bible.

“The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.” Revelation 8:10

How do we know this is bad science?  Well, for starters, we’re still here.  If a star fell from the sky and struck Earth, Earth would be completely vaporized and wiped from existence.  It’s that simple!  Consider the Sun.  The Sun is so big that it would take 1.3 million Earths to fill it.  Wow!  And some stars are bigger than the Sun.  Earth stands no chance against a star.  Sure, a third of rivers and springs on all of Earth being destroyed sounds destructive, but it’s not compared to what a star would really do, which is completely wipe out the Earth.  Come on God, you’re supposed to be all-knowing!  Did you flunk 4^th grade science?

Psalm – Chapter 28: Of David.

It’s Psalms.  You know what’s coming.  But I made a commitment to read and discuss EVERY chapter in the Bible.  So here we go.

“For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.” – Psalm 28:1

Who is going down to the pit?  Miners?  Or those goddamn Atheist scientists?  😊

“Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.” – Psalm 8:3

This describes David and God.  They are the ones who speak cordially but harbor malice in their hearts.  Hell, God hardens hearts!

“Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.” – Psalm 8:5

I agree God will tear them down, but for a different reason.  All God does is tear people down!  It doesn’t matter if you are good or evil, if you cross God in anyway, no matter how m

“The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.” – Psalm 8:8

If it helps you sleep better at night, then okay, but it isn’t true.

That concludes Psalm 28.  Another chapter in Psalms in which God is praised for all the glorious things he does, but completely ignores the fact those things are often evil.

Coming Soon:  Psalm – Chapter 55:  For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

#TakeAKnee

So let me get this straight.  You think it’s important to get down on a knee a give yourself to Jesus, but how dare a black American take a knee in a show of respectful protest against racial injustices?  And where are you when this is happening and complaining?  On your couch, in your air conditioned house, watching the game on TV, with a cold beer in your hand.  Not standing.  Seriously?

#TakeAKnee

Psalm – Chapter 13: For the director of music. A psalm of David.

What will this chapter in the book of Psalms bring us?  More praising of God that ignores the statements in the Bible in which God does horrible things?  Let’s find out.

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” – Psalm 13:1

Probably forever since he doesn’t exist.

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” – Psalm 13:5

Why?  Why trust this god?  This god rapes and murders.  This god kills.  This god allows and in fact caused people to starve and live in times of famine.  This god has killed many people for not worshipping correctly.  This is not unfailing love.  It’s a combination of hate and bloodlust.

“I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” – Psalm 13:6

Has he?  The Bible itself says otherwise and your own words imply he hasn’t been good to you.

Sigh.  How hard is it to realize rape and murder is not the definition of unfailing love?  Killing those who break silly rules is not unfailing love.

Coming Soon:  Psalm – Chapter 28:  Of David.

1 Kings 17:21

It’s Crazy Bible Verse Tuesday AND Halloween!!!  To celebrate the occasion, let’s look at a verse that is very Halloween-esque.

“Then he (Elijah) stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” – 1 Kings 17:21

A dead child is raised from the dead!!!  A miracle?  Of course not!  This clearly did not happen.  The dead do not rise.  Zombie movies are great, but believing in zombies in real life is another issue.  You can’t bring people back from the dead.  You can’t do it now and you couldn’t do it in Biblical times.  Maybe, just maybe, the people of biblical times loved Halloween!