Message to Kings - A Biblical History of Man

David tries to find peace and rest in Judah, but the Ziphites rally against David and call upon Saul to attack David. Saul marched toward David with 3,000 troops and established a camp near David's men. In the middle of the night, David and Abishai sneak up on Saul's camp and David has another opportunity to kill Saul and become king.

After the death of Samuel, all of Israel goes to Ramah and pays their respects to the great prophet. Then, David and his men return to Judah and ask for provisions from a rich man named Nabal, who lived near the monument to Saul at Carmel. Nabal refuses David and rudely sends the men away and cuts David with his words. David, in turn, marches with 400 men to kill Nabal and the men of his household. Before David can get to Nabal's house, Abigail, the wife of Nabal, intercedes with her actions.

In this episode, we take a brief look at the mobile camp of David and explore a prophecy that sets the scene at the cave at En Gedi, where Saul is delivered, naked, to David for judgment. Instead of taking Saul's life, David shows mercy and grace. We conclude this episode with the mercy and grace of David and the spirit of honor over his life.

After Saul kills the priests at Nob, he pursues David. David saves the town of Keilah from the Philistines, but is forced to flee when Saul pursues him. Over the next year or two, Saul pursues David and David flees from him, all the while, David is training up his group of misfits and turning them into the mighty men. In this episode, we cover the making of the MIGHTY MEN and begin and conclude the episode with the making of THE THREE.

After the scene at Gath, David is full of the spirit of God and he journeys to Judah, the tribe of his people, and he hides in the cave at Adullam. At Adullam, David worships God alone, until his family shows up and 400 distressed, in debted and discontented men show up. David will take these 400 and turn them into the future leaders of Israel, but it is in the cave of Adullam that God reveals HOPE to David and God keeps his promises for only days before David was without food and in prison.

Saul, in his jealousy, hunts for David. He learns that Ahithopel, the high priest, was last scene with him. In his rage, he summons all of the priests to Gibeah for a confrontation. When they arrive at Gibeah, Saul orders the death of all of the priests of Israel because they helped David. In this episode, we conduct an audio drama from the perspective of the lone survivor, Abiathar, the son of Ahithopel.

After David's failure at reconciliation with King Saul, he flees to Nob, the town of the priests. In Nob, David receives assistance from the high priests by receiving consecrated bread and the sword of Goliath. David leaves soonafter, because he is spotted by Doeg, Saul's chief herdsman. David flees to Gath, where David's life is threatened and he is thrown in prison. But, it is in prison and in Gath, where David experiences God's presence and deliverance.

In this episode, David makes one final attempt to reconcile to King Saul. David goes to Jonathan and asks him to inquire with the King as to his feelings toward David. During the New Moon feast, Jonathan approached his father, while David hid at the Stone Ezel. When Saul noticed David wasn't at the feast, Saul flies into a rage and attacks his son Jonathan for protecting David. In an emotionally charged moment, Jonathan and David say goodbye to each other at the Stone Ezel and David's journey takes an abrupt change of course.

David recounts his emotional and spiritual experience in Psalm 59 as he flees from Saul. He ends up in Rammah under the protection of Samuel and the school of the prophets. Saul finds out where David is and sends soldiers to arrest David. In this episode, we discuss what happens when Saul comes after David and the Spirit of Prophecy.

After David marries Michal, Saul only gets more jealous of David. He orders his son Jonathan and his attendants to kill David. David flees from Saul, but Jonathan takes up his case with Saul and David is restored to his place. All seems back to normal in the court of Saul, until the Philistines attack and David defeats them and David is Israel's hero again. In a fit of rage, as David was playing his lyre for Saul, Saul hurls his spear at David. David dodges the spear and flees to his room. Saul orders David to be killed, but David escapes out of the window out of the palace of Saul and the protection of Israel into his wilderness years. We conclude this episode with a look at the concept of Christian contradictions and the upside down Kingdom of Jesus.

After David beheads Goliath, there are a few peculiar verses. In this episode, We will discuss these verses as well as David's relationship with Jonathan. Not only did David take on and kill Goliath, but on the same day, he made his best friend - Jonathan.

In this episode, we cover the conflict between David and Goliath from a Jewish Traditional perspective. Pulling from Louis Ginzberg's work, the LEGENDS OF THE JEWS, we cover the background of Goliath and read his account of the encounter between David and Goliath.

In this podcast special, we conduct an interview with Scott Buss regarding the heart of David and his heart for worship. Scott Buss is an accomplished classically trained musician who has dedicated his life to the worship of God. In this interview, he discusses his journey and his testimony of worship and puts into context the concept of spiritual warfare which occurs during times of worship.

After defeating Israel's enemies on every side, Saul turns his attention erroneously inwardly in a campaign against the Gibeonites breaking the long standing treaty with these people, and upon the word of the Lord from Samuel, he attacks the Amalekites. In this episode, we cover Saul's disobedience, arrogance, pride and the consequences for him and Israel and how his sin impacted future generations.

As Jonathan attacked the Philistines, the Philistines melted away in all directions. The previously surrendered Israelites turned on the Philistines and those Israelites who fled in the hills attacked their flanks. Saul called for the high priest to inquire of God, but the answer was too long in coming, so he attacked the fleeing Philistines, who now, were fighting against themselves as well. As the Israelites attacked, Saul made a vow, 'cursed be anyone who eats today, until I get my vengeance upon my enemies.' In this episode, we see what happens to Saul's vengeance fast and its parallel in the Book of Judges.

Jonathan sneaks out of the Israelite camp with his armor bearer and goes to pick a fight with the better armed and more numerous Philistines. He approaches a Philistines garrison at the Michmash pass, with cliffs on either side and in one of the most unwise military strategies of all time, Jonathan and his armor bearer attack the Philistines, showing outrageous courage and bravery and boldness. God, who is drawn to faith, answers by delivering Jonathan and bringing victory to Israel. Coverart by Jeff Brown

In this episode, we conduct a creative interpretation of David's fight in the wilderness against a lion, as referenced by David in 1 Samuel 17:34 and conclude this episode with David playing his lyre before Saul. Even at the age of fifteen, David was slaying demons and casting them away in worship.

After God rejects Saul as king, God sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as the next king of Israel. Jesse has seven sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel doesn't anoint them. He asks Jesse 'are there more sons?' Jesse responds 'there is the youngest, out with the sheep.' David is called in and anointed the next king of Israel at the age of fifteen.

After the defeat of Nahash and the renewal of the kingship, King Saul dismisses his huge army and only keeps a standing force of 3,000 men. With his small army, he turns it west and attacks the Philistines. This violent act stirs up the Philistines and they show up in force with over 300,000 men. Saul and his army flee and hide and many surrender to the Philistines. Saul, in his fear and without waiting completely for Samuel, steps in front of the Levites and conducts a Levitical sacrifice to gain God's approval. As Saul completes the sacrifice, Samuel arrives. Instead of receiving God's favor, Saul, by ignoring God's law and disobeying Samuel, he receives God's judgment.

After the defeat of Nahash the Ammonite, Samuel calls the people to Gilgal. Here Samuel conducts 'his final address' where he steps down from his role as Judge and renews the kingship of Saul. In 'his final address,' he gives the people a history lesson, teaches them his three secrets to his walk with God and convicts the people for their asking for a king and God confirms it wondrously.

A military power parks an army outside of Jabesh Gilead, a large Israelite town east of the Jordan, and their leader's name is Nahash the Ammonite. Nahash threatens to destroy the city, unless they surrender and allow him to gouge out the right eye of every Israelite. Word is sent throughout Israel and when Saul receives word of the threat of Nahash, the spirit of the Lord comes upon him. When the spirit of the Lord comes upon him, Saul tears apart his ox and sends parts of it throughout Israel and threatens the people with their lives if they do not come to the aid of Jabesh Gilead. The response was fantastic: 330,000 Israelite men show up to fight for Saul. What follows is military brilliance on the part of Saul: he splits his army in three and leads them in a daring night attack to rescue Jabesh Gilead.

After Saul was anointed king of Israel in private, Samuel calls the people together publically at Mizpah. Samuel called the people together, tribe by tribe and clan by clan until Saul, the son of Kish was chosen to be their king. Saul could not be found. After Saul was found missing, the question was poised before God, 'has the man come here yet?' and the answer was 'Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage…' Guest Speaker: Jannel Heaston

After Israel asks for a king, a man of Benjamin loses his donkeys, and ends up before Prophet Samuel. Samuel prepares a meal for this man, whose name is Saul, and anoints him the first official King of Israel. In this episode, we will cover the very detailed ministry of Prophet Samuel.

After the events at Mispah, Samuel goes on to become a most exceptional prophet, priest and Israel's last judge. Samuel grows old and Israel looks for the next judge, but Samuel's sons were corrupt. It was at this moment, that Israel asked for a king and for all of the wrong reasons. God's answer was clear, 'you are rejection my leadership.' Despite this rejection, God would grant them their request - King Saul.Guest Speaker: Jason Ross

After the Ichabod season and the return of the Ark of the Covenant, Samuel calls a prayer meeting. All of Israel goes to Mispah in sack cloth and ashes to repent and seek God, while their overlords, the Philistines, go to Mispah with swords and violence on the mind. The result was not a physical confrontation as much as a spiritual one, as breakthrough occurs when Samuel conducts the first unhindered burnt offering in years and the power of the blood of the lamb is displayed for all...

In fulfillment of prophecy, judgment was coming to Eli and his sons. The Philistines attack Israel and Israel loses four thousand men in the first day of battle. In a last ditch effort to save themselves, the Israelites bring the Ark of the Covenant in battle the second day. Instead of bringing them victory, thirty thousand Israelites die in battle with Hophi and Phineus and on the same day Eli dies and the Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines.The rest of the episode, we cover the captivity of the Ark of the Covenant in Philistia and what happens when we treat God's presence like a good luck charm, we look at God as our prize and we treat God with contempt.

The young boy Samuel grew up in the house of the Lord, all the while, Hophi and Phineus continued to desecrate the sacrifices of Israel. As sin increased and the defilement of the priesthood continued, Samuel grew in the anointing and purposes of God. In this episode, we cover the call of Samuel by God himself.

At the end of the Era of Judges, a woman by the name of Hannah was barren. Her husband married another woman as well named Peninnah, who bore him many children. In her distress, Hannah poured out her soul to the Lord in a dramatic account in Shiloh in front of the high priest Eli. The Lord was so moved by her prayer and dedication of a future son, God answered her prayer and gave her a son, whose name would be Samuel, and her story is memorialized for all time at the beginning of the book 1 Samuel. Guest Speaker: Jannel Heaston

About a month back, the historypodcasters.com website featured this podcast among others in a history collage titled 'Terrible Leaders.' A 9 minute special episode was put together on Israel's worst king, King Manasseh, but it was difficult to narrow the episode to 9 minutes. The original recording was 17 minutes, so we are publishing the unabridged recording for the subscribers of the podcast.

Samson had been completely undefeated in every battle, until he met a prostitute named Delilah. He loved Delilah and Delilah loved money. When the Philistine rulers offered Delilah 5500 shekels of silver for the secret of Samson's great strength, she received the challenge and pulled every trick in her spiritual and physical armory to destroy Samson. In this episode, we cover her four pronged attack on Samson and the end of Samson.

In this account, we take a fictional look at the account of Samson and the Gates of Gaza from Judges 16:1-3. Samson went to Gaza to be with a prostitute, but the Philistines set a trap for him. Cornered at the gate of Gaza, Samson showed supernatural strength when he tore the gate from its hinges and carried it deep into Israel to Hebron.

In this episode, we continue our look at the account of Judge Samson. Here are Samson's first words in the Bible, 'I have seen a woman, now get her for me.' Against the law, Samson desired to marry a Philistine woman in Timnath, but when a riddle goes bad, a simple wedding feast goes from a family conflict to violence in a city to the destruction of a national harvest to a national armed conflict.

In this account, we will cover the heavenly visitation to the wife of a Danite man, named Manoah. In the visitation to the nameless barren wife, God told her she would bear a child and the rule of his life was to be a Nazirite. The lifetime Nazirite vow was the secret to their son's unnatural strength. Nine months later, she gave birth to their son whose name was Samson and his calling was to begin to deliver Israel.

In this episode, we will discuss the last three minor Judges, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon, and the priesthood under the high priest Eli in Shiloh. A look at the minor Judges reveals the destructive trend toward monarchial government, while Eli and the priesthood continues to conduct the sacrifices and priesthood functions.

After the death of Abimelek, two minor Judges, Tola and Jair, lived and judged regions of Israel. After these minor Judges, Jephthah freed Israel from an Ammonite invasion, but in the process Jephthah made a foolish vow and later nearly destroyed the tribe of Ephraim. We conclude this account, not with the character flaws of Jephthah, but with a personal account reflection of Jephthah's calling.

After the death of Gideon, Israel falls away from God again. This time, anarchy reigns, in the form of the selfish and ambitious Abimelek. Abimelek persuades the town of Shechem to support him, over his 70 brothers. The leaders of Shechem give him cursed silver, which he used to hire a mercenary army and he goes and kills his 70 brothers and is crowned king in Shechem, but he only reigns for 3 years when his own people turn on him fulfilling the curse of Jotham. In this episode, we present the opposites: humble christian leadership vs. selfish ambition

After God reduces Gideon's army to 300, Gideon is terrified but God comforts him. He goes down to the Midianite camp, where he hears a dream and interpretation which overwhelms him and causes him to spontaneously worship. Next, the Spirit of the Lord overtakes Gideon and empowers him to surround the Midianite camp in a wild attack with shofars and torches and empty vessels. The remaining account covers this attack and remainder of the pursuit of Midian and the peace of Gideon.

The Midianites and other nations invade Southern Israel and ravage it. After 7 years of oppression, Israel cries out to God. In turn, God calls upon a most unexpected hero and judge - Gideon. In this account, we discuss Gideon's calling and his relationship and testing of God and how Gideon ended up with 300 men.

Jabin and Sisera, possibly client kings of the Hittites, invade and take over Northern Israel and hold it hostage for 20 years. After 20 years of oppression, Israel cries out to God and God sends both a prophetess, named Deborah, and a Judge, named Barak. In this episode, we cover the deliverance of Israel by Prophetess Deborah and Judge Barak and we discuss another assassination by a woman named Jael.

Approaching our one anniversary, this two part story is a dramatization account of what could have been from the limited Biblical entry about Shamgar from Judges 3:31.

Approaching our one year anniversary, this two part story is a dramatization account of what could have been from the limited Biblical entry about Shamgar from Judges 3:31.

In this episode, we are going to discuss the collapse of empires, specifically the Mycenaeans and Hittites and cover the time period called the Bronze Age Collapse or Ancient Dark Ages. It is a fascinating time when civilizations vanished from history. We will discuss possible historical reasons and add in biblical history and some Jewish traditional stories to round out the account.

Continuing our history break, in this episode we will discuss the state of world empires at this time and go into detail covering the Hittite Empire and the Fall of Troy and conclude this episode with Paul's deep speech in Athens in 50AD when he declared:Acts 17:26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

During the timeline of Judge Ehud, Ramesses II led Egypt to its territorial high water mark in history. In the thirteenth year of his reign, Ramesses II was declared a god on earth and within a year of this declaration he was engaged in a battle for his life with the Hittite empire, in the battle of Kadesh. After the battle, Judge Ehud watching from afar could have easily seen the results of what happens when rulers of the earth declare themselves a god.

While they were in Moab, Naomi's husband dies and her two sons marry Moabite women. Next, Naomi's two sons die and she is left with her two daughters-in-law. After the famine ends and Eglon is defeated, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. On a road headed out of Moab, Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to leave her and go back to their people. Orpah cries and leaves Naomi, but Ruth clave to Naomi. In Ruth's defining moment, she doesn't allow Naomi's offense to overwhelm her faithfulness. She says to Naomi, 'where you go, I will go, your God will be my God, where you die, I will die…' Ruth stays with Naomi and the rest of the account is her encounter with Boaz and redemption of their family.

All while the oppression of Israel continued under the rule of Eglon, King of Moab, God had a judge in mind who was fashioning and forging a sword for a political assassination which would overthrow Eglon. In an account filled with symbolism, Ehud arrives to pay tribute to Eglon, but instead assassinates Eglon with his double-edged sword in an upper room and escapes and blows a shofar and rallys Israel to assist him in surrounding Eglon's army and takes them down and frees Israel.

After the death of Othniel, Israel's cycle of sin continues. Due to their unfaithfulness, God sold Israel into the hands of Eglon, King of Moab. Eglon subjugated Israel and oppressed the people. In addition to the oppression of Israel, a famine occurs which causes a man and his wife to flee from Bethlehem to Moab. The man's name was Elimelek and his wife was Naomi. After this, a disturbance occurs in Gibeah which results in the near destruction of the tribe of Benjamin.

Following the death of Joshua, Judah invades the land. Caleb offered his daughter in marriage to anyone who captured Kiriath Sepher. Othniel, the son of Kenaz, captured the city and received Acsah as his wife. Following the invasion, Acsah approached her father in a beautiful picture of women approaching the throne of God to ask for an inheritance. Next, the cycle of sin begins and the first of the oppressions of Judges began with an invasion of the Arameans, who oppressed Israel for 8 years. After 8 years, Othniel was raised up as the first Judge who brought peace to Israel for 40 years.

Following the death of Joshua, Israel begins its slide into immorality and godlessness. In this episode, we cover the birth of apostasy in Northern Israel with the idolatry of Dan and sellout of the Levitical priesthood by Jonathan, grandson of Moses, and conclude the episode with a tribute to Paris Reidhead's famous word 'Ten Shekels and a Shirt.'

After the division of the land at Gilgal, the Reubenites, Gadites and half-tribe of Manasseh returned to their land east of the Jordan. Upon re-crossing the Jordan, these tribes built an alter. After discovering the alter, all of Israel assembles to go to war with these tribes. Israel sends a diplomatic force led by Phinehas, who performs brilliantly and prevents a civil war. In addition, we will be discussing the final two messages of Joshua and concluding our look at the life and times of Joshua.