Restoration After Rebellion, Heaven's Sealed Saints

1. Joab was told, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.” 2. The victory that day was turned into mourning among all the people; for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.” 3. The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4. The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!” 5. Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; 6. in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared today, that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died today, then it would have pleased you well. 7. Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.” 8. Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. 9. All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10. Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?” 11. King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house. 12. You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13. Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’” 14. He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15. So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan. 16. Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king. 18. A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he had come over the Jordan. 19. He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20. For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?” 22. David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?” 23. The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him. 24. Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25. When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26. He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride on it, and go with the king; because your servant is lame. 27. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in your eyes. 28. For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?” 29. The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.” 30. Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.” 31. Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan. 32. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33. The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.” 34. Barzillai said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35. I am eighty years old, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king? 36. Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37. Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.” 38. The king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you request of me, that I will do for you.” 39. All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place. 40. So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel. 41. Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42. All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?” 43. The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. 1. There happened to be there a wicked fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet, and said, “We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!” 2. So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. 3. David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood. 4. Then the king said to Amasa, “Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.” 5. So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6. David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.” 7. Joab’s men went out after him, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8. When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went along it fell out. 9. Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11. One of Joab’s young men stood by him, and said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12. Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. 13. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 14. He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites. They were gathered together, and went also after him. 15. They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16. Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’” 17. He came near to her; and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your servant.” He answered, “I’m listening.” 18. Then she spoke, saying, “They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel;’ and so they settled a matter. 19. I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up Yahweh’s inheritance?” 20. Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21. The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22. Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. 23. Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites, 24. Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder, 25. Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests, 26. and Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David. 1. There was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, “It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2. The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah); 3. and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless Yahweh’s inheritance?” 4. The Gibeonites said to him, “It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” He said, “Whatever you say, that I will do for you.” 5. They said to the king, “The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6. let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh.” The king said, “I will give them.” 7. But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9. He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before Yahweh, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest. 10. Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night. 11. David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12. So David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa; 13. and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son. They also gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14. They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land. 15. The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint; 16. and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being armed with a new sword, thought he would kill David. 17. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “Don’t go out with us to battle any more, so that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel.” 18. After this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 19. There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20. There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on every hand, and six toes on every foot, twenty four in count; and he also was born to the giant. 21. When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him. 22. These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

1. After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. 2. I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, 3. saying, “Don’t harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!” 4. I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel: 5. of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7. of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 9. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10. They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11. All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God, 12. saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13. One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?” 14. I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. 15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. 16. They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat; 17. for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” 1. When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3. Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4. The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5. The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. Thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake followed. 6. The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7. The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up, and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8. The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, 9. and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed. 10. The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters. 11. The name of the star is called “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter. 12. The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way. 13. I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!” 1. The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. 2. He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 3. Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4. They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads. 5. They were given power, not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. 6. In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7. The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces. 8. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9. They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war. 10. They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 11. They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”. 12. The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this. 13. The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14. saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!” 15. The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind. 16. The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. 17. Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the horses’ heads resembled lions’ heads. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. 18. By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 19. For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm. 20. The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can’t see, hear, or walk. 21. They didn’t repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

1. I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. 2. I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them.” 3. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant, 4. ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah. 5. The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh; your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones. 6. For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh, 7. a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him? 8. Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? Yah, your faithfulness is around you. 9. You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them. 10. You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11. The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours; the world and its fullness. You have founded them. 12. The north and the south, you have created them. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name. 13. You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted. 14. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face. 15. Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh. 16. In your name they rejoice all day. In your righteousness, they are exalted. 17. For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted. 18. For our shield belongs to Yahweh; our king to the Holy One of Israel. 19. Then you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, “I have given strength to the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people. 20. I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil, 21. with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him. 22. No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him. 23. I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him. 24. But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted. 25. I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers. 26. He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’ 27. I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28. I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him. 29. I will also make his offspring endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30. If his children forsake my law, and don’t walk in my ordinances; 31. if they break my statutes, and don’t keep my commandments; 32. then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33. But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail. 34. I will not break my covenant, nor alter what my lips have uttered. 35. Once I have sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David. 36. His offspring will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me. 37. It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah. 38. But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed. 39. You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust. 40. You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin. 41. All who pass by the way rob him. He has become a reproach to his neighbors. 42. You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries. You have made all of his enemies rejoice. 43. Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and haven’t supported him in battle. 44. You have ended his splendor, and thrown his throne down to the ground. 45. You have shortened the days of his youth. You have covered him with shame. Selah. 46. How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire? 47. Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have you created all the children of men! 48. What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah. 49. Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness? 50. Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples, 51. With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one. 52. Blessed be Yahweh forever more. Amen, and Amen.