05/25/2023 – “The Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird” – Level XII – 966 – 963 B.C.E – Chapter Five // Group fellowship and Discussion
Hoopoe – a character that gave glory to God in his work. But as Michener points out,
He is trapped in the syncretism hole, caught between two gods, living his whole life not
Recognizing the one true God. Two gods is a rabbit hole leading to nowhere.
Meshab, was caught up in a belief system that assigned gods to specific nation states; and, he was
A loyal Moabite therefore a loyal Baal worshipper. Needless to say, a very loyal man, but sad nonetheless.
Kerith was a believer in Yahweh alone but she could not see that Yahweh was absolutely sovereign
And omnipresent, not just In Jerusalem and the temple. Michener comments she recognized that
Yahweh did not offer the “personal consolation” that Baal offered the Makkor locals. Isn’t that due
To the fact she did not recognize the coming Messiah as Moses and the prophets did? On page 310,
The answer seems to be explained away that in Jerusalem, ideas were more important than things.
On pg. 272, we are told: “she felt pity for General Amran, that he should live in Jerusalem so close to Yahweh and King
David without having discovered the inner significance of either the city, the god or the king.” I found
It puzzling that a small “g” was used instead of a capital “G”. That doesn’t seem to be the character
Kerith’s belief. Is it the author’s belief? Thoughts? No worries though, small stuff.
A question for the group: Isn’t present day America in the same syncretism hole, in this case worshipping
The things of this world and the one true God simultaneously? Did not Jesus say, you cannot worship both?
I found the short “The Tell” interlude, pages 294 through298, as Eliav made his case that that Cullinane’s
Guesses were too “derivative”, and in like manner, Tabari pointed out: “You’d be a lot smarter if you were
A lot dumber”, a funny paradox. I thought Eliav presented a very effective analogy when he pointed out
That the range of living quarters of King David’s time could have been just as disparate as their modern day
Israel in a very small distance from one another.
As we will see that Kerith did not live up to her faith as Gomer does some three hundred years later, for Kerith
Was caught up in intermarrying outside of her faith. Admittedly, she followed the crowd, including “wise” King
Solomon in her time. It makes for a human tragedy. Again, a masterful conclusion from James Michener in the
Last two pages, coalescing the modern day tunnel discovery back to “Jabaal of Makor, builder of the David
Tunnel.” Within His remnant church, parents should be instructing their children not to marry outside of their faith;
It starts before they start dating, not after! Fathers should interview and approve prospective dates. Think about it,
Why would a young couple want to handicap their children with two disparate worldviews, completely different lenses
Through which to view the world?
Soli Deo Gloria!