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Adapted from the History of Christianity series by The Irreverent Historian. This is from “Part 1: Sacred Origins” covering the early era of the nation of Israel, the originators of Judaism, published in Gospel Light, vol. 13, June 2009. Read previous.
King David was full of contradictions. He was a talented musician and songwriter, and is said to have composed much of the book of Psalms. Yet, David was a warrior king, and forcefully expanded Israel’s influence far across its borders. One of his lasting legacies was to move the capital to Jerusalem after taking it from the Jebusites.
David was said to be a man after God’s own heart, but was hardly innocent and blameless. He seduced the wife of a loyal soldier, and plotted to have the husband killed to cover up his adultery. In direct contravention to two of the ten commandments.
Because of his many failings, David did not have a trouble-free reign. In addition to fighting enemies outside Israel, his son Absalom staged a coup d’état and briefly took over David’s throne. The upstart son later died in the process of trying to kill David, after his head got stuck to a tree branch.
Due to David’s sins and the blood he shed, he was not allowed to build a Temple, which was intended to serve as the permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was a sacred relic that contained the second set of stone tablets Moses received from God.
So, David started to gather up materials which were used for the Temple. But the actual construction was left to future kings.
King David reigned for forty years and was succeeded by his youngest son Solomon, who beat back a challenge from his eldest brother Adonijah.
Solomon was a shrewd politician, and brought peace to Israel mainly through the use of diplomacy. He arranged a number of marriages between himself and the daughters of neighboring kings. Lots and lots of them.
Solomon was personally wealthy, and received some 40 tons of gold every year in tributes and taxes. He spent these on buildings, sculpture, and horses and chariots. Solomon completed the first Temple of Jerusalem, which his father was not allowed to build.
Solomon was an excellent administrator, and projected Israel’s economic influence far and wide. His reign ushered in a golden age of prosperity for the country. Solomon’s economic control was said to reach as far north as the banks of the Euphrates River (modern-day Iraq), in Hittite territory.
Solomon was well-known for his wisdom, and made lasting contributions to the Scriptures. Tradition considers Solomon as author of three books: a listing of adages in the book of Proverbs, the rather cynical Ecclesiastes, and the erotic Song of Songs (or Songs of Solomon).
Unhappily for him, neither his country nor the grand structures he built would stand the test of time. Barely 100 years after Solomon’s death, the Israelites were a divided people, militarily weak and surrounded by enemies.
Why did this happen, and how did God’s chosen people survive in a time of upheaval? Stay tuned for the next irreverent installment of the history of Christianity: Kings and Prophets; Vassals and Exiles.
[:zh]David is full of contradictions. He was a talented musician and songwriter, and is said to have composed much of the book of . Yet, David was a warrior king, and forcefully expanded Israel’s influence far across its borders.
David was said to be a man’s after God’s own heart, but was hardly innocent and blameless. He seduced the wife of a loyal soldier, and plotted to have the husband killed to cover up his adultery. In direct contravention to two of the tencommandments. Because of his many failings, David did not have a trouble-free reign. In addition to fighting enemies outside Israel, his son staged a coup d’etat and briefly took over David’s throne. The upstart son later died in the process of trying to kill David, after hisheadgotstucktoatreebranch. Due to David’s sins and the blood he shed, he was not allowed to build a Temple, which was intended to serve as the permanent home for theArkoftheCovenant. TheArkisa sacred relic that contained the second set of stone tablets Moses receivedfromGod.[:]