God chooses Jeroboam to be king of Israel (1 Kings 11:28-38) 

And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.²⁹ And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:³⁰ And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:³¹ And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:³² (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)³³ Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.³⁴ Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: ³⁵ But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. ³⁶ And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.³⁷ And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.³⁸ And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. 

Jeroboam leads Israel into idol worship (1 Kings 12:25-33) 

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.²⁶ And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:²⁷ If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.²⁸ Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.²⁹ And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.³⁰ And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.³¹ And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.³² And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.³³ So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Solomon, the good, the bad, and his destiny 

God gives Solomon wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-34) 

 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.³⁰ And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.³¹ For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. ³² And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. ³³ And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.³⁴ And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom. 

Solomon does evil in the sight of the Lord (1 Kings 11:6-13) 

And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.⁷ Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.⁸ And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.⁹ And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,¹⁰ And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.¹¹ Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.¹² Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.¹³ Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

Verses 1-8 speak of an appointed time. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction, 2:26, but He also appoints “times”. Earthly pursuits are good in their proper place and time, but unprofitable when pursued as the chief goal. 

Ecclesiastes 3:7

“A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;“ 

Rending of clothing is a sign of great mourning. The rending of the veil from the top to the bottom at the crucifixion of Jesus opened the way to the Father for all believers. 

Matthew 27:51 “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”  

The sewing of this very curtain had been ordained of God. This curtain was sown with thread of beaten gold. No man could have rent it. It had to be Almighty God. 

The following Scriptures tell of times to be silent. 

Habakkuk 2:20 “But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” 

We see in the following Scriptures, that there is a time to speak, also. 

Luke 19:37 “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;” 

The most important time of all to speak, is in the following Scriptures. 

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:8 

“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.“ 

Hate is a word I do not like, but God says there is a time to hate. Look, with me, at the following Scripture. 

Revelation 2:6 “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” 

Notice, He did not hate the Nicolaitans, He hated their deeds. We are to hate the sin, and love the sinner. God wants us to love everyone, even our enemies, as we read in the next verses. 

Matthew 5:43-44 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”  

Jesus gave us two commandments that cover all. They both have to do with love. 

Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” “This is the first and great commandment.” “And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” 

Love is the greatest positive emotion we can have. God is Love. 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

The condition of the world is, and has been, the fact of wars and rumors of wars. This will not change, until Jesus the King of Peace comes and sets up His thousand year reign of peace upon the earth. God is not against war, when it is preserving the right. 

One of the most interesting examples of God blessing in war is found in chapter 17 of Exodus. Joshua fought while Moses lifted his arms in praise to God. Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses, until the battle was over and Joshua defeated Amalek. 

Exodus 17:12-13 “But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” “And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” 

There is a day of peace coming when Jesus reigns. 

We read in Micah 4:3 ”And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”     

(Discover the Books of the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Bible-study.org/ecclesiastes-chapter-3/)   

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

Verses 1-8 speak of an appointed time. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction, 2:26, but He also appoints “times”. Earthly pursuits are good in their proper place and time, but unprofitable when pursued as the chief goal. 

Ecclesiastes 3:4

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;“ 

The shortest sentence in the Bible is in John 11:35 “Jesus wept.” 

Jesus is our example in everything, so we know there are times for us to weep. When we lose a loved one, it is a natural thing to weep. You have heard the expression {laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone}. This is very true. 

Psalms 126:2 “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.” 

A story of contrast of mourning and a time to dance quickly reminds us of David, when he danced before the Ark of the Covenant. 

2 Samuel 6:14-15 “And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.” “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.”   

David’s mourning came at the loss of his firstborn child. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then he had her husband killed in battle, so he might marry her. In punishment, God took their first child. 

2 Samuel 12:14 “Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:5 

“A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;“ 

A very good example of a time to cast away stones is when you are clearing a field for cultivation. The time to gather stones is when you are building a stone house. Embracing is a way of showing passion, or affection. 

When two friends meet, it is alright to embrace in greeting. The negative side of this would be under the classification of passion. It is not, however, a very nice thing for a man and a woman to passionately embrace in public. 

Ecclesiastes 3:6 

“A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;“ 

Material things have been put on the earth for the use of mankind. One of the most vivid Scriptures about getting and losing is in Mark 10:29-30 

“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,” “But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” 

We see from this, if we give up our family to work for God, we will get blessings abundant in this life, and will inherit eternal life. The story of Job tells of a man who had received great wealth and blessings from God. Satan caused Job to lose them. God gave twice as many blessings back to Job, when he proved faithful. 

There are a number of things we are admonished to keep. The most important of all, is keep the faith. We should cast our cares upon Jesus. We must cast off our sins and idols of this world. 

(Discover the Books of the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Bible-study.org/ecclesiastes-chapter-3/)   

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Verses 1-8 speak of an appointed time. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction, 2:26, but He also appoints “times”. Earthly pursuits are good in their proper place and time, but unprofitable when pursued as the chief goal. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:“ 

This is saying that God arranges even the smallest details of our surroundings. Verse 1 is speaking of all the things collectively, that he will detail in the next few verses. God’s timetable for this earth is perfect. Certain events are ordained from the foundation of the earth. 

Jesus will come back to the earth as King and reign in perfect peace for 1000 years. Things, like when we are born and when we die, are foreordained of God. The thing that is not already destined to be is what we do with Jesus. We, of our own free will, accept Him, or reject Him. 

Ecclesiastes 3:2  

“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;“ 

We see that we have no control of the day we are born. We have no control of who we are born to. We have no control over our gender. We have no control over the way we look, when we are born. All of these things are destined of God.  

We have no control over whether we are born into a wealthy family, or a poverty stricken family. All of these things are determined of God. We do not have control of the time of our death either. 

Isaac is a very good example of God having a precise time for us to be born. 

Genesis 21:2 “For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”  

Death is the same. God has set a time for each person’s death. 

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” 

The following Scripture tells us the very best, what our life is. 

James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:3 

 “A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;“ 

The 6th commandment says, “Thou shalt not kill”. Then how, can this Scripture say a time to kill?  Thou shalt not kill, means thou shalt not commit premeditated murder. It does not mean that you are not to go to war to protect your family, or your country. A very good example of a time to kill is shown by God killing the firstborn in Egypt. 

Exodus 12:12 “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” 

Most of Jesus’ ministry here on the earth involved healing. Everyone who had faith enough to receive his healing was healed by Him. 

I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 

 Why did God not allow David to build His temple?

 We read in I Kings 5:3 “Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.” 

The very next verse tells when it was the right time for Solomon to build it. I Kings 5:4-5 “But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.” “And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.” 

Sometimes things have to be torn down to the foundation, before they can build on the spot. 

Ecclesiastes 3:4

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;“ 

The shortest sentence in the Bible is in John 11:35 “Jesus wept.” 

Jesus is our example in everything, so we know there are times for us to weep. When we lose a loved one, it is a natural thing to weep. You have heard the expression {laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone}. This is very true. 

Psalms 126:2 “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.” 

A story of contrast of mourning and a time to dance quickly reminds us of David, when he danced before the Ark of the Covenant. 

2 Samuel 6:14-15 “And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.” “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.”   

David’s mourning came at the loss of his firstborn child. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then he had her husband killed in battle, so he might marry her. In punishment, God took their first child. 

2 Samuel 12:14 “Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:5 

“A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;“ 

A very good example of a time to cast away stones is when you are clearing a field for cultivation. The time to gather stones is when you are building a stone house. Embracing is a way of showing passion, or affection. 

When two friends meet, it is alright to embrace in greeting. The negative side of this would be under the classification of passion. It is not, however, a very nice thing for a man and a woman to passionately embrace in public. 

Ecclesiastes 3:6 

“A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;“ 

Material things have been put on the earth for the use of mankind. One of the most vivid Scriptures about getting and losing is in Mark 10:29-30 

“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,” “But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” 

We see from this, if we give up our family to work for God, we will get blessings abundant in this life, and will inherit eternal life. The story of Job tells of a man who had received great wealth and blessings from God. Satan caused Job to lose them. God gave twice as many blessings back to Job, when he proved faithful. 

There are a number of things we are admonished to keep. The most important of all, is keep the faith. We should cast our cares upon Jesus. We must cast off our sins and idols of this world. 

Ecclesiastes 3:7

“A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;“ 

Rending of clothing is a sign of great mourning. The rending of the veil from the top to the bottom at the crucifixion of Jesus opened the way to the Father for all believers. 

Matthew 27:51 “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”  

The sewing of this very curtain had been ordained of God. This curtain was sown with thread of beaten gold. No man could have rent it. It had to be Almighty God. 

The following Scriptures tell of times to be silent. 

Habakkuk 2:20 “But the LORD [is] in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” 

We see in the following Scriptures, that there is a time to speak, also. 

Luke 19:37 “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;” 

The most important time of all to speak, is in the following Scriptures. 

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:8 

“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.“ 

Hate is a word I do not like, but God says there is a time to hate. Look, with me, at the following Scripture. 

Revelation 2:6 “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” 

Notice, He did not hate the Nicolaitans, He hated their deeds. We are to hate the sin, and love the sinner. God wants us to love everyone, even our enemies, as we read in the next verses. 

Matthew 5:43-44 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”  

Jesus gave us two commandments that cover all. They both have to do with love. 

Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” “This is the first and great commandment.” “And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” 

Love is the greatest positive emotion we can have. God is Love. 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

The condition of the world is, and has been, the fact of wars and rumors of wars. This will not change, until Jesus the King of Peace comes and sets up His thousand year reign of peace upon the earth. God is not against war, when it is preserving the right. 

One of the most interesting examples of God blessing in war is found in chapter 17 of Exodus. Joshua fought while Moses lifted his arms in praise to God. Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses, until the battle was over and Joshua defeated Amalek. 

Exodus 17:12-13 “But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” “And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” 

There is a day of peace coming when Jesus reigns. 

We read in Micah 4:3 ”And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”     

(Discover the Books of the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Bible-study.org/ecclesiastes-chapter-3/)   

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

Verses 1-8 speak of an appointed time. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction, 2:26, but He also appoints “times”. Earthly pursuits are good in their proper place and time, but unprofitable when pursued as the chief goal. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:“ 

This is saying that God arranges even the smallest details of our surroundings. Verse 1 is speaking of all the things collectively, that he will detail in the next few verses. God’s timetable for this earth is perfect. Certain events are ordained from the foundation of the earth. 

Jesus will come back to the earth as King and reign in perfect peace for 1000 years. Things, like when we are born and when we die, are foreordained of God. The thing that is not already destined to be is what we do with Jesus. We, of our own free will, accept Him, or reject Him. 

Ecclesiastes 3:2  

“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;“ 

We see that we have no control of the day we are born. We have no control of who we are born to. We have no control over our gender. We have no control over the way we look, when we are born. All of these things are destined of God.  

We have no control over whether we are born into a wealthy family, or a poverty stricken family. All of these things are determined of God. We do not have control of the time of our death either. 

Isaac is a very good example of God having a precise time for us to be born. 

Genesis 21:2 “For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”  

Death is the same. God has set a time for each person’s death. 

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” 

The following Scripture tells us the very best, what our life is. 

James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:3 

 “A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;“ 

The 6th commandment says, “Thou shalt not kill”. Then how, can this Scripture say a time to kill?  Thou shalt not kill, means thou shalt not commit premeditated murder. It does not mean that you are not to go to war to protect your family, or your country. A very good example of a time to kill is shown by God killing the firstborn in Egypt. 

Exodus 12:12 “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.” 

Most of Jesus’ ministry here on the earth involved healing. Everyone who had faith enough to receive his healing was healed by Him. 

I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 

 Why did God not allow David to build His temple?  We read in I Kings 5:3 “Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.” 

The very next verse tells when it was the right time for Solomon to build it. I Kings 5:4-5 “But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.” “And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.” 

Sometimes things have to be torn down to the foundation, before they can build on the spot. 

(Discover the Books of the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Bible-study.org/ecclesiastes-chapter-3/)   

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning, 

Memorial Day is this Monday. 

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.  

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them. 

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim. 

MEMORIALS 

5.  The feast of Purim  

The fifth memorial can be found in Esther 9:28.  

“And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.”  (Esther 9:28)  

In the book of Esther you may remember that Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, who was the king’s favorite. As a result, Haman made plans to massacre the Jews on a fixed date. Mordecai went to Esther and persuaded her to intercede with the king. Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plans to massacre the Jews, and Haman is hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Since the edict for the massacre cannot be revoked, the king sends a edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves. The Jews take advantage of this to kill their enemies. The deliverance is commemorated at the feast of Purim. 

The special feast continues to be celebrated by Jews to this day to celebrate their deliverance from Haman’s destruction through Queen Esther’s actions. So it is a self-proclaimed memorial to the Jews to this very day. During the Purim, the Esther scroll is read aloud in the synagogues. 

Other festivals were ordained by Divine authority this one was initiated by Mordecai and Esther. Yet its commemoration was undoubtedly sanctioned by God whose merciful interposition it records. 

CONCLUSION: 

So what we learn from this is not so much the memorial that the Jews proclaimed, but rather the fact that God is a protector and deliverer of those who look to him and trust in him. It is a memorial to illustrate the Graciousness of God. 

Memorials are for: 

Remembrance 

Worship 

Learning 

Teaching 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning, 

Memorial Day is this Monday. 

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.  

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them. 

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim. 

MEMORIALS 

4.  Feast of the Tabernacles 

The fourth memorial is found in found in Leviticus 23:39-43. 

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.⁴⁰And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.⁴¹And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.⁴²Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: ⁴³That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  (Leviticus 23:39-43)  

This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles. It fell in the Autumn when the full harvest of corn, wine and oil had been gathered in. It was the last great feast of the year. It was a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving when Israel showed their gratitude to God and remembered that He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage and brought them into a land which produced so many good things.  

It came five days after the Day of Atonement when the sin of the people had been removed. During the seven days of the feast, Israel dwelt in booths or tents made from the boughs of trees. It would remind them of the 40 years in the wilderness when they dwelt in tents. This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles.  

The feast pointed forward to the full harvest and the result of Christ’s work during the Millennium. It will be at this time that the whole earth will rejoice with Israel and keep the feast of Tabernacles.  

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning, 

Memorial Day is this Monday. 

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.  

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them. 

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim. 

MEMORIALS 

1. The Lord’s Supper 

The first memorial we are considering in this list is found in Luke 22:19-20.  

“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.²⁰ Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”  (Luke 22:19-20)  

Of course the greatest memorial of them all is the Lord’s Supper which is a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.  

The Communion service is a service of remembrance. It is the equivalent of the Passover feast under the Law of Moses. The Communion takes us back to our salvation from sin through Christ, which was made possible on the cross and to which we became related by baptism. Keeping this commandment is therefore something we naturally want to do. 

2.  The Rainbow 

The second memorial can be found in Genesis chapter 9:12-17. 

“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:¹³ I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.¹⁴And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:¹⁵ And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.¹⁶ And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.¹⁷And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-17) 

The memorial is the rainbow, and it is a reminder that God would never again destroy the world by a flood. 

In the verses in the above quote, the rainbow is described as a token of the covenant. So God is saying that whenever He sees this sign or monument in the sky, it will remind Him of the covenant between Him and every living creature on the earth. In other words, it is a memorial not only for God but also for us. Whenever we see the rainbow it is to remind us of the covenant, that never again will there be a flood to destroy all life on the earth.      

3. The Passover 

The third memorial is found in Exodus 12:11-14. In the verse leading up to these verse the Israelites are told to take an unblemished lamb and kill it. They shall take the blood from it and place it on the side and tops of the door frames of the houses where they should eat the lamb. 

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.” 

So the Passover was important as a memorial to the Israelites as it reminded them: 

1. God’s separation of His people from the Gentiles. 

2. God’s protection of His people. 

3. God’s deliverance of His people. 

4. God’s requirements of His people, that is, dedication to Him. 

5. God’s commandment to them to keep the feast annually to remind them of all God had done for them. 

4.  Feast of the Tabernacles 

The fourth memorial is found in found in Leviticus 23:39-43. 

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.⁴⁰And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.⁴¹And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.⁴²Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: ⁴³That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  (Leviticus 23:39-43)  

This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles. It fell in the Autumn when the full harvest of corn, wine and oil had been gathered in. It was the last great feast of the year. It was a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving when Israel showed their gratitude to God and remembered that He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage and brought them into a land which produced so many good things.  

It came five days after the Day of Atonement when the sin of the people had been removed. During the seven days of the feast, Israel dwelt in booths or tents made from the boughs of trees. It would remind them of the 40 years in the wilderness when they dwelt in tents. This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles.  

The feast pointed forward to the full harvest and the result of Christ’s work during the Millennium. It will be at this time that the whole earth will rejoice with Israel and keep the feast of Tabernacles.  

5.  The feast of Purim  

The fifth memorial can be found in Esther 9:28.  

“And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.”  (Esther 9:28)  

In the book of Esther you may remember that Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, who was the king’s favorite. As a result, Haman made plans to massacre the Jews on a fixed date. Mordecai went to Esther and persuaded her to intercede with the king. Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plans to massacre the Jews, and Haman is hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Since the edict for the massacre cannot be revoked, the king sends a edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves. The Jews take advantage of this to kill their enemies. The deliverance is commemorated at the feast of Purim. 

The special feast continues to be celebrated by Jews to this day to celebrate their deliverance from Haman’s destruction through Queen Esther’s actions. So it is a self-proclaimed memorial to the Jews to this very day. During the Purim, the Esther scroll is read aloud in the synagogues. 

Other festivals were ordained by Divine authority this one was initiated by Mordecai and Esther. Yet its commemoration was undoubtedly sanctioned by God whose merciful interposition it records. 

CONCLUSION: 

So what we learn from this is not so much the memorial that the Jews proclaimed, but rather the fact that God is a protector and deliverer of those who look to him and trust in him. It is a memorial to illustrate the Graciousness of God. 

Memorials are for: 

Remembrance 

Worship 

Learning 

Teaching 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning, 

Memorial Day is this Monday. 

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.  

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them. 

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim. 

MEMORIALS 

3. The Passover 

The third memorial is found in Exodus 12:11-14. In the verse leading up to these verse the Israelites are told to take an unblemished lamb and kill it. They shall take the blood from it and place it on the side and tops of the door frames of the houses where they should eat the lamb. 

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.” 

So, the Passover was important as a memorial to the Israelites as it reminded them: 

1. God’s separation of His people from the Gentiles. 

2. God’s protection of His people. 

3. God’s deliverance of His people. 

4. God’s requirements of His people, that is, dedication to Him. 

5. God’s commandment to them to keep the feast annually to remind them of all God had done for them. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com