Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: DULL (05/12/17)
-
TITLE: Dull-witted men of the Bible. | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gloria Pierre Dean
05/17/17 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
I can think of two men in the Bible who qualified for the above descriptions of dim or stupid. They were men who could have or may have become great but made very stupid decisions and died horrible deaths.
First mention goes to Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus had predicted his betrayal by one of his disciples. Different motives have been ascribed to Judas for doing this terrible deed. Some say that Judas was a fanatical believer and wanted Jesus to immediately set up his kingdom. Some writers believe that he was a superpatriot who was attempting to force Jesus to revolt against the Romans.
People continued to make excuses for Judas as to why he betrayed Jesus. Could it be that Judas was a thief who never really believed in Jesus as his Lord? He was in charge of the disciples’ funds and often dipped into them for his own use! {John 12:6} Yet Jesus allowed him to hold the purse. Was he hoping he would repent? As time and events reveal the betrayal of Jesus did not eventually benefit him.
Jesus Himself stated that it would have been better if Judas had not been born. The fact that Jesus knew that Judas would betray him does not remove the responsibility from Judas. Both Luke {22: 3-4} and John {13: 27} wrote that he betrayed Jesus because the devil ' made him do it'. Judas could have resisted but he was already a thief; deception was already in his heart.
The second mention I attribute to Absalom.
He was the third son of King David. *Samuel reports that he took revenge on Amnon for raping his sister. Out of fear of his father, Absalom ran away to Geshur, where he stayed for three years. Nothing was said about Absalom's wisdom but we are told that he was handsome and had long hair; that was his pride and joy from all appearances.
Scripture stated that David “longed to go out to Absalom”, but we’re never told that he actually did anything to reconcile the relationship. David’s general, Joab, was ultimately responsible for bringing Absalom back to Jerusalem. However, even then, Absalom was not permitted to enter his father's presence but had to live in a house of his own. He lived this way for two years, presumably never contacting or being contacted by his father. The Bible made no mention and no reason was given as to why David ignored his son.
Unfortunately and rather stupidly, after about four years Absalom took some immature actions. He began to stealthily undermine King David’s rule. Whoever gave him advice was stupid. He set himself up as a judge in Horeb and gave out promises of what he would do if he were king. In my opinion that was mutiny; a dim-witted act doomed to failure. I can imagine that he really began to believe his own press and his followers grew to such a large number that David began to fear for his own life. King David fled Jerusalem but left behind some of his concubines and a few 'faithfulls'.
As the story unfolds, Absalom entered Jerusalem and took over David’s house and openly slept with his concubines. Those were dim-witted and unforgivable acts!
*Scripture tells us that father and son did get back together, and there was some measure of reconciliation but the peace did not last. As ever, David’s fatherly order to his men remained the loving one; to be gentle with Absalom. On the final day of his life, Absalom was riding and his long hair became entangled in the branches of an oak tree. No one in his group helped him so there he was; unhorsed and suspended by his hair in mid-air. His end was a terrible one.
David's man Joab and others found him suspended in mid-air and killed him there *{2 Samuel 13-19}.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Blessings~
As time and events reveal the betrayal of Jesus did not eventually benefit him.
The sentence just copied would have worked better with a comma between reveal and the.
Nice details. Did you run out of room for a satisfying conclusion?
As time and events reveal the betrayal of Jesus did not eventually benefit him.
The sentence just copied would have worked better with a comma between reveal and the.
Nice details. Did you run out of room for a satisfying conclusion?
Overall, you did a great job with this topic. :)