Thematic Bible: Political


Thematic Bible



So when the LORD your God delivers them to you and you have defeated them, then utterly destroy them. You are not to make any covenant with them nor be gracious to them. Verse ConceptsMercy, HumanForbidden AlliancesFellowship With WickedExterminationGod Without MercyThose God Gave Into Their Hands

where Hanani's son Jehu, the seer, went out to meet him. He asked King Jehoshaphat, "Should you be helping those who are wicked, yes or no? Should you love those who hate the LORD? Wrath is headed your way directly from the LORD because of this. Verse ConceptsHatredForbidden Alliances

They set out to go down to Egypt, without asking my advice; taking refuge in Pharaoh's protection, and seeking shelter in Egypt's shadow. Verse ConceptsForbidden AlliancesTrusting In Man, Warnings AgainstGod's Counsel

"How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the chariot, because there are so many, and in charioteers, because they are so strong but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek the LORD! Verse ConceptsFaithlessness, As DisobedienceFalse Confidencedoubt, results ofChariotsdefence, divineHorsesLeaders, PoliticalPrayerlessnessSeeking GodStrength, HumanTrust, Lack OfUnreliabilityWeaponsForbidden AlliancesTrusting In Man, Warnings AgainstCavalryTrusting In ChariotsNot Seeking GodTrusting Other PeopleDoubting GodWoe To The WickedStaying Strongreinforcement

"Ephraim feeds on the wind, chasing after the eastern winds, storing up lies and desolation day after day. They are making a contract with the Assyrians, and sending oil to Egypt. Verse ConceptsAliancesFeedingFalse ConfidenceIdolatry, Objections ToTreatyWindForbidden AlliancesPursuing ViolenceOut Of The EastThe East Wind

You are not to make a covenant with them or with their gods. They are not to live in your land. Otherwise they will cause you to sin against me. If you worship their gods, it will become a snare for you."

"Be very careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, so they won't be a snare among you. Rather, you are to tear down their altars, you are to smash their sacred pillars, and you are to cut down their sacred poles indeed, you are not to bow down in worship to any other god, because the LORD's name is Jealous he's a jealous God read more.
Otherwise, you may make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and when they prostitute themselves with their gods and offer sacrifices to their gods, someone may invite you and then you may eat some of their sacrifices.

As for you, you must not make any treaties with the inhabitants of this land. Instead, tear down their altars.' But you haven't obeyed me. What have you done? Verse ConceptsForbidden AlliancesAllegiancesDestruction Of Satan's WorksWhat Do You Do?

But Dodavahu's son Eliezer from Mareshah prophesied in opposition to Jehoshaphat, "Because you have entered into an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your efforts." So the ships were destroyed and were never able to sail for Tarshish. Verse ConceptsSeafaringForbidden AlliancesProphesying

For this is what the LORD spoke to me, as his forceful hand was resting on me, and as he was warning me not to live the way this people were living: "Don't call conspiracy everything that this people calls conspiracy, and don't fear what they fear, or live in terror.

Therefore let Pharaoh select a wise, discerning person to place in charge over the land of Egypt. Also, let Pharaoh immediately proceed to appoint supervisors over the land of Egypt, who will collect one fifth of its agricultural production during the coming seven years of abundance. Let them collect all the food during the coming fruitful years, store up the grain in cities governed by Pharaoh's authority, and place it under guard. read more.
Let the food be kept in reserve to feed the land for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout Egypt, so the people don't die during the famine." What Joseph proposed pleased Pharaoh and all of his advisors, so Pharaoh asked his servants, "Can we find anyone else like this someone in whom the Spirit of God lives? Since God has revealed all of this to you," Pharaoh told Joseph, "there is no one so wise and discerning as you. So you are to be appointed in charge over my palace, and all of my people are to do whatever you command them to do. Only the throne will have greater authority than you." "Look!" Pharaoh confirmed to Joseph, "I've put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt!" Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand, placed it on Joseph's hand, had him clothed in fine linen garments, and placed a gold chain around his neck. Then he provided him with a chariot as his second-in-command, outfitted with a group of people who shouted out in front of him, "Bow your knees!" And that's how Pharaoh set Joseph over the entire land of Egypt. Pharaoh also told Joseph, "I'm still Pharaoh, but without your permission nobody in all of the land of Egypt will so much as lift up their hands or take a step!" Pharaoh also changed Joseph's name to Zaphenath-paneah and gave Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, to him as his wife. And that's how Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt. Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh, king of Egypt, by traveling throughout the land of Egypt, independent from Pharaoh's oversight. While bumper crops grew during the seven abundant years, Joseph collected the surplus food throughout the land of Egypt, storing food in cities; that is, he gathered the food from fields that surrounded every city and stored it there. Joseph stored up so much grain like sand on the seashore in so much abundance! that he stopped keeping records because it was proving to be impossible to measure how much they were gathering. Before the years of famine arrived, Joseph fathered two sons with Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh because, he said, "God has made me forget all of my hard life and my father's house." He named his second son Ephraim because, he said, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my troubles." As soon as the seven years of abundance throughout the land of Egypt ended, the seven years of famine started, just as Joseph had predicted. It was an international famine, but there was food everywhere throughout the land of Egypt. Eventually, the land of Egypt began to feel the effects of the famine, so the people cried out to Pharaoh for food. "Go see Joseph," Pharaoh announced to all the Egyptians, "and do whatever he tells you to do." Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, because the famine was beginning to be severe throughout the land of Egypt. In addition, all of the surrounding nations came to Joseph to buy grain from Egypt, because the famine had become severe throughout the world.

Now Herod had been in a violent quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him as a group. After they had won over Blastus, who oversaw security for the king's sleeping quarters, they asked for a peace agreement because their country depended on the king's country for food. Verse ConceptsChamberlainsPeople Providing FoodNamed People Angry With OthersPrivate Rooms

Hearing the voices of the king and his officials, the queen entered the banquet hall. "Your majesty, live forever," the queen said. "Don't be frightened by your thoughts or allow your facial expression to show it. There's a man in your kingdom in whom dwells the spirit of the holy gods. During your grandfather's reign, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom, like that of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar your kingly predecessor appointed him to be chief administrator over the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and understanding, along with an ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. His name is Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar. Call for Daniel, and he will reveal the meaning of the writing."

Many seek a ruler's favor, but justice for a man comes from the LORD. Verse ConceptsFalse ConfidenceCelebritiesPleasing MenSeeking The Favour Of GodMaking DecisionsFavor


Later, Haggith's son Adonijah approached Solomon's mother. "Are you here on a peaceful mission?" she asked. "Yes," he replied. "I have something to ask you about." "Talk," she told him. So he replied, "You know that the kingdom should have come to me, and that everyone in Israel intended to place me as the next king. However, the kingdom has turned around and now belongs to my brother, because it went to him from the LORD. read more.
So now I'm asking one thing from you. Don't refuse me." "Talk," she told him. Then he asked her, "Please talk to King Solomon for me, since he won't refuse you. Ask him to give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife." "Okay," Bathsheba replied. "I'll talk to the king for you."

He told his attendant Gehazi, "Call this Shunammite." So when he had summoned her, she stood in front of him. Elisha told him, "Ask her, "Look how you've gone to all this trouble to care for us! What can I do for you? Do you wish to be mentioned to the king or to the head of the army?'" She replied, "I'm at home living among my own people."

Meanwhile, at that time the nobles of Judah continued to send many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah kept sending letters to them. For many Judeans had sworn allegiance to him, since he was son-in-law to Arah's son Shecaniah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Berechiah's son Meshullam. Furthermore, they kept reporting Tobiah's good deeds to me, and kept repeating what I told him. Tobiah kept sending letters to intimidate me.

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. He asked her, "What do you want?" She told him, "Promise that in your kingdom these two sons of mine will sit on your right and on your left." Jesus replied, "You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink from the cup that I'm going to drink from?" They told him, "We can." read more.
He told them, "You will indeed drink from my cup. But it's not up to me to grant you a seat at my right hand or at my left. These positions have already been prepared for others by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became furious with the two brothers.

Ner's son Abner and the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth set out from Mahanaim for Gibeon. Zeruiah's son Joab and some of David's staff went out to meet them at the pool of Gibeon. One side encamped on one side of the pool while the other encamped on the other side of the pool. Abner told Joab, "Let's have the young men get up and fight in our presence." Joab replied, "Let them come." read more.
So they got up and twelve were counted to represent Benjamin and Saul's son Ish-bosheth and twelve to represent members of David's staff. Each man grabbed his opponent by the head, plunged his sword into his opponent's side, and then they both fell together. That's why the place at Gibeon was named The Field of Swords. The battle was very violent that day, with Abner and the men of Israel being defeated in the presence of David's servants. Zeruiah's three sons Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were there. As a runner, Asahel was fast, like one of the wild gazelles. So Asahel ran straight after Abner, following him. When Abner looked behind him, he said, "Is that you, Asahel?" He answered, "I am." Abner told him, "Go off to your right or left after one of the young men and grab some war spoils." But Asahel would not stop following him, so Abner told Asahel again, "Stop following me. Why should I strike you down? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?" But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner struck Asahel in the abdomen with the butt end of his spear, and the spear protruded through his back. He collapsed to the ground and died where he fell. Everyone gathered round the place where Asahel had collapsed and died, and stood still there. Meanwhile, Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner. At dusk, as they approached the hill of Ammah that is located near Giah on the way to the Gibeon desert, the descendants of Benjamin rallied around Abner, forming a single military force. They took their stand on top of the hill. Then Abner called out to Joab, "Must the battle sword keep on devouring forever? Don't you realize that the end result is bitterness? How long will it take for you to order your army to stop pursuing their own relatives?" Joab answered, "As God lives, if you hadn't spoken up, by morning my army would have broken off their pursuit of their own relatives." So Joab sounded his battle trumpet, his entire army stopped pursuing Israel any longer, and they quit fighting. Abner and his army traveled through the Arabah by night, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Mahanaim after marching all morning. Joab returned from his pursuit of Abner, and when he had mustered his entire army, nineteen of David's soldiers were missing besides Asahel. Meanwhile, other soldiers of David had killed 360 of Abner's men from the tribe of Benjamin. They retrieved Asahel's body and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night until daybreak and arrived back in Hebron.

After this, a state of protracted war existed between Saul's dynasty and David's dynasty, and the dynasty of David continued to grow and become strong while the dynasty of Saul continued to grow weaker. Verse ConceptsDavid, Reign OfHousesWarfare, Examples OfWarfare, Nature OfWeakness, PhysicalStrong IndividualsWithout StrengthCivil WarWarBattle

Back in those days, Israel didn't yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion. Verse ConceptsEyes, Figurative UseChaosSelfishnessAnarchyNo King

Back in those days, Israel didn't yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion. Verse ConceptsAuthority, of human institutionsKingship, HumanSelfishnessAnarchyNo King

Then the tribune replied, "I paid a lot of money for this citizenship of mine." Verse ConceptsCivil LibertyExpensiveCitizensReligious Freedomserenity

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