Day 1 (Monday)
3 Kingdoms 9:1-9; 11:1-13, 26-43 (God Appears Again to Solomon, Solomon’s Sins, Jeroboam’s Rebellion, Solomon’s Death)
Last time we saw Solomon pray to the Lord at the dedication of the Temple, and observed that a number of the things that he said seemed to be, on the one hand, directed more to the people than to the Lord, and on the other, to be directed at trying to constrain the Lord within certain boundaries and guarantees. We observed that these elements were troubling, especially in light of the fact that God had fulfilled every promise He had made to Israel BEFORE Solomon built the Temple, and entered into the Holy of Holies BEFORE Solomon said or did anything other than build the Temple. This time, we will see God speak to Solomon afterward, and will see how Solomon’s reign proceeds and concludes. As a spoiler warning – it will not be a happy story.
God Appears Again to Solomon
9 When Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king’s house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time.”
4 “And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, 5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel.’
6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
8 And this house will become a heap of ruins; everyone passing by it will be astonished, and will hiss; and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they forsook the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the Lord has brought all this evil upon them.’”
Solomon’s Errors
11 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women: the daughter of Pharaoh, and Moabite, Ammonite, E′domite, Sido′nian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods”; Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ash′toreth the goddess of the Sido′nians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”
Chapter 11:14-25 – God raises up adversaries against Solomon, among the Edomites and the Syrians; after Solomon falls into sin, the Edomites and the Syrians in Damascus throw off Solomon’s rule and are lost to Israel.
Jeroboam’s Rebellion
26 Jerobo′am the son of Nebat, an E′phraimite of Zer′edah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeru′ah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. 27 And this was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king. Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of David his father. 28 The man Jerobo′am was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious he gave him charge over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
29 And at that time, when Jerobo′am went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahi′jah the Shi′lonite found him on the road. Now Ahi′jah had clad himself with a new garment; and the two of them were alone in the open country. 30 Then Ahi′jah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jerobo′am, “Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and will give you ten tribes 32 (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because he has forsaken me, and worshiped Ash′toreth the goddess of the Sido′nians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and has not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did.
34 Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes; 35 but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.
38 And if you will hearken to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 And I will for this afflict the descendants of David, but not for ever.’” 40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jerobo′am; but Jerobo′am arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
Death of Solomon
41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father; and Rehobo′am his son reigned in his stead.
Reading 4 – 1324 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how far Solomon manages to fall, almost immediately after his completion of the Temple, even to the point of setting up the idols and instruments of worship of the demon gods on the mountain to the east of the Temple, which is either the Mount of Olives, or the mountain next to it. As a result, we see God come to him and warn him of what the consequences will be, and when Solomon does not repent and turn from these evils, God brings these consequences about. We should note, as well, that God doesn’t bring them about all at once, but a little bit at a time, so that Solomon has a chance to see that his power and blessings are departing and to turn and repent. But he does not do so, or at least not until close to his death, when he has already led the people far astray (it’s not mentioned here, but there is a tradition that Solomon repents toward the end of his life; we see signs of it at the end of Ecclesiastes, and in the simple fact that Solomon is not remembered as an apostate). As a result, in our reading next week, we will see the united kingdom of Israel divided, exactly as the prophet foretold to Jeroboam.)
2) What do we learn about God in this reading?
3) What do we learn about human beings in this reading?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 2 (Wednesday)
St. Epiphanios on Holy Saturday – 4
Last time, we saw St. Ephiphanios speak of the burial of the Lord, and how Nicodemus and Joseph became cherubim in their function, as they themselves carried the Lord Himself Who is carried upon the Throne by the Cherubim. He reflected beautifully on how the Angelic Powers then participated in the Lord’s Burial together with the human beings who had assumed their office, providing us with an image of the glorification of the office of human beings as we become bearers of Christ. This time, the sermon will continue into the depths of Hades, and we will see the righteous of the Old Testament as they see the coming of the Lord.
Sermon of our Father among the Saints, Epiphanius, Archbishop of Cyprus on the Burial of the divine Body of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, on Joseph of Arimathæa and Nicodemus, and on the Lord’s Descent into Hell, which occurred in wondrous manner after his saving Passion.
Part 4
Indeed, the natural friend of man goes to bring out with his great might and authority the prisoners from ages past who dwell in the tombs,[46] whom the harsh and indomitable tyrant tyrannizes, having spitefully seized and stolen them from God, and filled his infernal lair with those who once dwelt above. There is Adam the prisoner, the first-enchained and first-sentenced to death, lower down than all the rest. There is Abel, the first-slain and first-righteous shepherd, prototype of the unjust slaughter of Christ the Shepherd.
There is Noah, the type of Christ, Builder of the great Ark of the Church, who saved all the beastly nations from the flood of ungodliness by the Dove of the Holy Spirit, and expelled from her the dark diabolic Raven. There is Abraham, Christ’s forefather, the sacrificer, who with unslain victim and unstained knife offered God propitious sacrifice.[47] There is Isaac in bonds, who was bound of old by Abraham, as a type of Christ. There is Jacob, grieving in Hades below, who once grieved over Joseph above. There is Joseph the prisoner, who was cast into prison in Egypt, as a type of Christ, the imprisoned Potentate.
There is Moses, in darkness below, as once in a basket he was in darkness above.[48] There is Daniel in the den of Hell below, who was once in a den of lions above.[49] There is Jeremiah, as in a pit of mire[50], in the pit of Hell and the decay of death. There in the all-devouring belly of Hell lies Jonah, the type of Christ, the eternal and pre-eternal Jonah, who lives for ever, yea, for ever and evermore.[51] There is David, God’s forefather, of whom Christ was descended according to the flesh.
But why speak I of David, Jonah, and Solomon? There is the illustrious John himself, greater than all the prophets, who heralds Christ’s coming to all those in Hades, as he did even in the darkness of his mother’s womb; the twofold forerunner, the preacher to the living and the dead, who was sent from Herod’s prison to Hades, the common prison of those fallen asleep since the world began, righteous and unrighteous alike.
From thence, all the prophets and the righteous secretly sent up ceaseless supplications to God, asking for deliverance from that most dismal place, from the dark and dreary domination of the enemy, and the endless, impenetrable black of night. So one said to God, From the belly of hell cometh my cry: hear thou my voice[52]; while another said, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.[53] Yet another, Shine thy face that we may be saved.[54]
And another, Thou that sittest upon the Cherubim, shine forth.[55] Another, Stir up thy might and come to save us.[56] And another, Let thy tender mercies quickly overtake us, for we are brought very low.[57] Another, Deliver my soul from the nethermost hell.[58] Yet another, Lord, bring my soul out of hell.[59] And another, Abandon not my soul to hades.[60] And another, Raise up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.[61]
Having heard all these pleas, the all-compassionate God determined to extend his love for mankind not only to those living in his day and afterwards, but also to those before his coming held in Hades, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.[62] Wherefore, just as God the Word visited men in the flesh by means of soul-bearing flesh, so also did he appear to the bodiless souls in Hell by means of his immaculate and God-bearing soul—bereft of his body, but not his divinity.
Let us then make haste and journey in mind to Hades, that we may see how there at last, he masters with masterly might the most mighty master and tyrant, and with his brilliant lightning, as with a whole army, effortlessly subdues the ranks of that immortal infantry; Christ the Door[63] having first burst open the exitless doors in the midst, and shattered the woodless gates of bronze by the wood of the Cross[64]; by the nails having broken and sundered the age-old iron bars[64], by the bonds of his hands having dissolved the indissoluble bonds like wax, and by the spear in his divine side having pierced through the fleshless heart of the tyrant.
There did he break the strength of the bow[65], when on the bow of the Cross, he stretched out the sinews of his divine arms like bowstrings. Therefore if thou followest Christ in silence, thou wilt presently see where he bound the tyrant, where he hung his head aloft, how he razed his dungeon and led out the prisoners, how he trampled the serpent, and where he displayed his head, how he freed Adam and raised up Eve, how he broke down the middle wall[66], where he condemned the cruel dragon, how he set up invincible trophies, where he put Death to death, how he spoiled corruption, and restored man to his primal dignity.
Reading 4 – 858 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how this portion of the sermon is effectively a verbal depiction of what we see in the Icon of the Anastasis, with all the righteous of the Old Testament, led by St. John the Forerunner himself, rejoicing at the coming of the Lord to break down the gates of Hades, shatter the chains and the bars, and to deliver those who had been held captive there, even from the beginning. This is a re-framing of the text that we read last year, the Gospel of Nicodemus, and is itself a reflection on how that text was used and understood by the Church.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 3 (Friday)
Acts 21:1-16 (Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem)
Last time we saw St. Paul leave Greece and begin his journey down the coast of Asia Minor, stopping at Miletus, where the presbyters/elders from Ephesus came to meet him. He gave them final words of exhortation and encouragement, and then parted from them with many tears. This time, we will see him continue his journey and near his arrival at Jerusalem.
Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem
21 When we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 When we found a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail. 3 We came in sight of Cyprus; and leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, because the ship was to unload its cargo there.
4 We looked up the disciples and stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the believers and stayed with them for one day. 8 The next day we left and came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters[d] who had the gift of prophecy. 10 While we were staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us and took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, “The Lord’s will be done.” 15 After these days we got ready and started to go up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came along and brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.
Reading 38 – 405 words
Discussion Questions
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note that God is giving St. Paul ample notice that his journey to Jerusalem will result in suffering and ultimately in his martyrdom. It is worth reflection for us, to think about whether Paul was supposed to continue or not; I think, for myself, that this is a point where God is giving Paul the freedom to choose, knowing what that choice will mean. In this way, St. Paul’s self-offering is voluntary, not driven by delusion or ignorance, but by faithfulness and love for those to whom he is going to preach the Gospel.)
2) What do we learn about God in this story?
3) What do we learn about human beings in this story?
4) What do you find difficult about this story? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always.).
5) Does this story make you think that you need to change anything in your life?