OUR LADY OF PEÑAFRANCIA SEMINARY

High school Department

Bibincahan, Sorsogon City
A.Y. 2020-2021

Learn
ing Relig
Modu ion 7
le

Prepared by:
Bro. Ray Nonn O. Mallorca

Owned by:
 SALVATION HISTORY

LESSON 17
SAUL, THE FIRST KING

Learning Objectives
- To understand the role or duty as God’s
child and accepts and recognizes the call of
God to serve Him better.

A. THE STORY OF SAUL, THE FIRST KING

OF ISRAEL
The neighboring kingdoms continuously
attacked Israel. In the southern-west, the
Philistines did not stop pestering the tribes of
Jacob residing in the south. In the north-east, the Ammonites persisted in bringing wars
to the tribes of Jacob dwelling in the north. The tribes of Israel asked for a king to
solidify them as a kingdom with one leader and one army.

1 Samuel Chapter 9
'There was a stalwart man from [the tribe of] Benjamin named Kish [ ... ] 2He had a son named Saul. He was a
handsome young man. There was no other Israelite handsomer than Saul; he stood high on his shoulders. above
the rest of his kinsmen, [ ... ] 15A day before Samuel would come to face Saul, the Lord revealed to his ears saying,
16
"This time tomorrow, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. You will anoint him to become a leader of
my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hands of the Philistines. I have seen my people crying out to me
for help." '7Samuel saw Saul. The Lord told him, "Behold! This is the man of whom I told you. He shall lead my
people." 18Saul drew near Samuel in the gateway and said, "Tell me please where is the house of the seer." 19Samuel
answered Saul, saying, "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. Before I send you,
in the morning, I will tell you whatever you want to ask. 20Do not worry about the asses you lost three days ago,
because they are already found. Who does the whole Israel desire? If not you, it would be your father's clan?" 21Saul
answered, saying, "Am I not a Benjaminite? I am from the smallest tribe of lsrael. Is not my clan the least among
the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why speak to me those words?" 22Samuel took Saul and his servant [ ... ] 26At the
rise of dawn, Samuel called Saul on the roof saying, "Rise up. I will send you [on a journey]." Saul rose up. The two,
he and Samuel, went out the city. 27They came down the end of the city. Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go
ahead of us, but you stay here, so that I may give you a word from God."

1 Samuel Chapter 10
1
'Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it over the head of Saul. He kissed him, saying: "The Lord anoints you
leader over his property. [ ... ]"

1 Samuel Chapter 11
[After defeating the Ammonites], 14Samuel said to the people, "Come! Let us go to Gilgal and renew there the
kingship." 15All the people went to Gilgal. There, they made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. They sacrificed
their offerings of peace before the Lord. There, Saul and all the Israelites celebrated with great joy.

B. THE SACRED TEACHINGS ON THE ANOINTING OF SAUL AS THE FIRST

KING OF ISRAEL

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l. Saul, a man from the smallest of the twelve tribes

The Sacred scriptures tells us of Benjamin as the youngest among the twelve sons
of Jacob. He is the youngest brother of Joseph, the
sons of Rachel. Yet more than these, the 1 Samuel Chapter 9
Benjaminites were at the point of extinction due to a
21
Saul answered saying, "Am I not a
crime done against the Levites so all the other tribes Benjaminite? I am from the smallest
rallied against them to avenge the Levites (cf. Jdg tribe of Israel. Is not my clan the
least among the clans of the tribe of
20:1 - 48).
Benjamin? Why speak to me those
words?"
For these reasons, Saul humbled himself
down. If he was to be made leader of the twelve
tribes of Israel, his family origin was not fit for the
position. Yet even with these sentiments, it shall not be the Israelites nor the Prophet
Samuel, nor Saul himself who will choose the leader for Israel, but God. It shall be God
who looks not at appearances (though Saul was the most handsome of all) and origin,
but at the goodness of one's heart. And Saul chooses the leader of the twelve tribes.
Later on, he would become the first anointed king of Israel.

There are times that we become stupefied and shocked upon hearing that people
have thrown their trust in our capabilities. We may have put ourselves down for the
past years, but there would be a time that someone in the crowd would express his/her
belief in us.
"Who are we to be trusted and be given a chance to prove ourselves worthy of
such trust?, “we might as well ask. God looks beyond appearances. He does not look at
our past misfortunes and ill-fated origins. He looks deep within our hearts. No matter
who we are, no matter where we come from, He will choose us no matter what. And if
God believes in us, as expressed by the people around us (our parents, our siblings, our
friends) who are we to say, "no" to such a trust?

Now if God does not look at our past misgivings and ill -fated origins; if He
looks deep within our hearts no matter who we are, no matter where we come from, He
would lift us up. Who are we to judge and put down the people around us? Why not
respect and love them? Why not embrace them and consider them as friends, as
brothers and sisters?

2. The anointing as the symbol of divine choosing'

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Pouring oil upon the head (i.e., the very act of

anointing) is the gesture to make one a king (a priest and a
prophet). Every king (as well as the priests, and once with a
prophet-the case of the Prophet Elisha) chosen by God is Samuel
Samuel Chapter
Chapter 1O 1O
Samuel
11
Samuel took took aa
anointed with oil. flask
flask ofof oil
oil and
and
poured
poured itit over
over thethe
head
head of
of Saul.
Saul. leader
leader
Through the anointing, the Holy Spirit comes down so over
overhis
his
that the chosen one may fulfill his duties in accordance with He
Hekissed
kissedhim,
him,
saying:
saying:"The
"TheLord
the will of God. And through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Lord
anoints
anointsyou
youleader
leader
the one anointed with oil shall lead the people of God to over
overhis
hisproperty.
property.
where God wants His people to be. [[……]”
]”

11 Samuel
Samuel Chapter
Chapter
In the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy 11
11
[After
[After defeating
defeating the the
Orders, and Unction for the Sick, oil is placed on the forehead Ammonites],
Ammonites],
of the one receiving the sacrament. In the sacrament of 14Samuel said to the
14
Samuel said to the
people,
people, “Come!
“Come! Let Let
Baptism, oil is placed on the baptized to symbolize the us
us go to Gilgal
go to Gilgal andand
indelible character of being a child of God chosen to perform renew
renew therethere the the
kingship."
kingship." 15All
15
All the
here on earth the priestly, kingly, and prophetic duties of the
people
people went went to to
Jesus Christ. In the sacrament of Confirmation, oil is also Gilgal.
Gilgal. There,
There, they
they
placed on the forehead of the confirmand to symbolize the made
made Saul
Saul king
king inin
the
the presence
presence of of the
the
Christian life in us through the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Lord.
Lord. They
They
In the sacrament of the Holy Orders, an aspirant to the sacrificed
sacrificed their
their
offerings
offerings of of peace
peace
priesthood is poured with oil on his hands so as to signify his before
before the
the Lord·
Lord· 11
anointing to the priestly duties of the altar. In the sacrament here,
here, Saul
Saul andand allall
the
the Israelites
Israelites
of the Unction of the Sick, oil is placed on the forehead of the celebrated with
celebrated with
ill person to strengthen him/her in the midst of his/her great joy.
great joy.
sufferings.

We ask ourselves therefore, do we know someone who

has not yet received the sacraments of Baptism and
Confirmation? Let us help them to obtain these Christ
instituted-signs that give grace. Let us be true Christians in
spirit and in name.

C. ACTIVITY

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Describe Saul as a person based on the scriptures. (5pts)

1. __________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________

LESSON 18

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 SALVATION HISTORY

DAVID, THE IDEAL KING

Learning Objectives
- to understand and analyze the contribution of Kind
David in the attainment of God’s kingdom
- resolves his weakness, shortcomings, wrongdoings,
and deficiencies.

A. THE DUAL CHARACTER OF KING DAVID

1. The Ideal King

While King Saul succeeded in subduing the

Ammonites, the Philistines seemed to 'be so stubborn to-- bow down. The tension
between the Israelites and the Philistines rose to its peak. Likewise, King Saul grew
desperate and was driven to madness.

At a battle in Gibeah, King Saul waited for Prophet Samuel; but Samuel came in late. So
in his absence, Saul performed the duties of Samuel. When Prophet Samuel arrived, he
discovered what Saul did. Samuel was infuriated, thus, the beginning of the enmity
between Prophet Samuel and King Saul.

With ill feelings against Saul and with the mandate from God to anoint David,
Samuel poured oil upon the head of David (cf. 1 Sam 16: 12-14). He shall become the
next king of Israel. And with the death of Saul, David became king!

David was king of Judah for seven years before he actually became king of the
united twelve tribes of Israel (cf. 2 Sam 5:1-5). In his kingship the Philistines, Ammon
(the two fierce enemy States at the time of Saul), Moab, Edom and Syria fell. His
kingdom reached the boundaries of the Euphrates River (cf. 2 Sam 8:3).

The Kingdom of King David

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 David captured Jerusalem (2 Sam 5:6-

10).
 David decisively crushed the
Philistines (2 Sam 5:17-25; 8:1).
 David made the Moabites as his
subjects, paying him taxes (2 Sam 8:2).
 Edom was defeated. It was controlled
by David's troops and was forced to
pay taxes to the king (2 Sam 8:13-14).
 David ·destroyed Ammon. The
Ammonites were used by King David
for forced labor (2 Sam 12:26-31).
 Syria (Damascus) was conquered by
David. It was controlled by David's
troops and was forced to give taxes.
 In the north, David defeated King
Hadadezer, the Aramean. The vassal
States of King Hadadezer (as far as the
Euphrates) became David's (2 Sam
10:15-19).

To be king is to be great. He has to go to battles to conquer lands subdue the

enemies that threaten his kingdom. He has to make his subjects proud of him and his
kingdom.

To be king is to be a father to his subjects. And to be a father is to provide his

subjects with the needed sustenance to be strong and capable. For this the king has to be
strong and tough to the subdued kingdoms to bring in the needed taxes and tributes,
the subjects of the king imposed upon them. From these taxes and tributes, the subjects
of the king are fed, nurtured and controlled.

To be king is to be a protector of his subjects. And to be a protector, he has to

constantly check the aggressive kingdoms on their plans for uprising and revolt.

King David. was so great that he conquered and subdued the kingdoms and states
surrounding Israel, thus giving peace to his own. King David provided his people-with
the necessary goods coming from the conquered and subdued kingdoms and states.
King David did not only provide food, but also protected his people from external
threats.

There was peace under his reign. King David Was great. He is really an ideal king.

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2. THE IMPERFECT PERSON

In spite of being the ideal king, David as an individual had his weaknesses. He
was a human being capable of errors and mistakes. He was after all, like anyone else,
imperfect.

2 Samuel Chapter 11
1
It happened that at the turn of the year, in the time when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers
and all of Israel. They ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, stayed in Jerusalem. 2It occurred one
evening, David rose from his seat and walked to and fro on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The
woman was very beautiful. 3David asked about the woman. He was told that she was Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of
Uriah the Hittite.

4
Then David sent messengers and took her. She came to him and he had relations with her. At that time, she was just purified
after her monthly period. Then she returned to her house. 5The woman conceived and she sent the information to David, saying,
"I am with child." 6David then sent a message to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David. [...] 8David
said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet."[...] 9But Uriah slept at the doorway of the house of the king along
with the other officers of his lord. Thus, he did not go down to his own house. 10[...] David told Uriah, "Did you not come from a
journey? Why, then, did you not go down to your house?" "Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in tents,
and my lord Joab and your majesty's servants are encamped in the fields. How can I go home to eat and to drink and to lay with
my wife? For as long as you are alive and live, I will not do such thing."[...]

14
lt occurred the next morning, David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent through Uriah. 15He wrote in the letter, saying, "Place
Uriah in front of the fierce battle. Then return back after he is dead." 16Joab was watching the city. He set Uriah to a place where
he knew the army was strong. 17The men of the city went out to fight Joab, and people from the officers of David fell. Uriah the
Hittite was one of those who died. [...]

27
[…] And the Lord did not like with what David had done.

B. THE SACRED TEACHINGS ON THE NARRATIVE

1. Idle hours should be strictly checked.

King David should have been with his generals and 2 Samuel Chapter
11
should have led his army to the battle. Yet he just stayed behind
and remained in Jerusalem. Such is the prerogative of a king, but 1
It happened that at
idleness led him to sin. the turn of the year,
in the time when
kings go out on
Like King David, we have to always check the idle hours campaign, David
of the day we may not know it, but idleness can lead us to sent out Joab along
commit something bad. How many times have such sins been with his officers and
all of Israel. They
committed during the vain hours? We decided not to work. We ravaged the
intended not to go. We just stayed behind. And something Ammonites and
happened. Let our idle hours be always checked for it can lead besieged Rabbah.
David, however,
us to do something bad. stayed in Jerusalem.

2. No person, even a king, is above the laws of God.

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2 Samuel Chapter 11
2
It occurred one evening, David rose from his seat and walked to and fro on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he
saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful. [...] 4Then David sent messengers and took her. She came to
him, and he had relations with her. At that time, she was just purified after her monthly period. Then she returned to
her house. [...] 14It occurred the next morning, David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent through Uriah. 1SHe wrote
in the letter, saying, "Place Uriah in front of the fierce battle. Then return back after he is 'dead." 27 [...] And the Lord
did not like what David had done.

David may be the king of the people of God, but this did not exempt him from
the laws of God. On the contrary, as king, David should have lived as a model to his
people. He should have had a life worth pleasing to the eyes of God. Yet David
succumbed to his
pleasures. He committed not merely a single sin, but a series of sins.
Our positions entail responsibility. We may have dreamt of attaining a higher
place in the realms of society, and may have the chance of obtaining it, still, we have to
check and re-check our lives for the abuses that we commit. For if God has willed that
we obtain and reach our dreams, He has also the right to take from us what we have.

The same thing goes with the birth order in our families. We may be the kuya or
ate. We may be the bunso, and therefore the "apple of the eyes" of our parents. We may
be declared old enough to do what we want. Still, we are not to abuse the current
situation. Birth order in the family is a gift to reckon with. We are called to assist and to
love more, but never to abuse' our position.

3. A sin leads to another sin and is covered by another sin.

David committed the sin of lust, coveting in his heart the wife of another man.
From there, he committed the sin of adultery. And upon discovering that he had a child
with Bathsheba, David intended to cover it up with a lie. It is not true that David
invited Uriah back home so that the latter may take a rest from the battle. Yet the truth
is Uriah was sent back home so thar he might sleep with his wife (then everyone would
think that the child of Bathsheba is Uriah's).

Since Uriah did not heed the command· of David to sleep in his house, David
ordered his general, Joab, to send Uriah to the first line of battle so as to die and to
return no more. With this, David had committed murder! And everything happened,
because David had his idle times.

Sins are interconnected. One sin leads to another. At times, it can be covered up
by another sin. Unless one stops sinning, one would see himself /herself calloused of
sin. One becomes numb, unmindful of the sacred and holy, unloving, and
unsympathetic toward others.

To stop sinning, one has to. be humble. One has to accept the fact of sin. And
from there, he/she has to· be sorry for what he/she has done. One has to desire the

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possibility of changing for the better and abhor sins. The best way to start is to humbly
confess one's sins through the sacrament of Reconciliation.

C. ACTIVITY
Through the act of humility, unite the class to obtain a schedule of Confession
with your school chaplain. And with a short guide to Confession, prepare for the
sacrament. Then, have your Confession. Write the name of your confessor.

______________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 19
SOLOMON, THE TEMPLE BUILDER

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Learning Objectives
- To understand and explain the importance of the Church—structural and
spiritual
- To support parish activities wholeheartedly by actively participating

A. SOLOMON, THE KING

1. Solomon Makes Bathsheba Queen.
When David became weak because of old age, Solomon
was then made king. He was anointed by the Prophet 1 Kings Chapter 2
Nathan and succeeded to the throne (cf. 1 Kgs 1 :32-43).
Upon sitting on his throne, another throne beside him was Bathsheba went to King
Solomon to speak to him for
provided for Bathsheba. She was made queen of Israel. Adonijah. The king rose to
meet her, and he bowed
2. Solomon, the Temple Builder down to her. He sat upon
his throne. Then a throne
It was David who promised to build God a temple in was set for the king's
Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam 7:7, 27), but it was Solomon, David's mother, who sat
at his right hand.
son, who turned the dream to reality (cf. 1 Kgs 8:17-19) as
foretold by the prophecy (cf. 2 Sam 7:12-13).

1 Kings Chapter 3

The people were offering sacrifices on high places, because in those days no temple was built in the name of the Lord.
Solomon loved the Lord. He followed the statutes of his father, David: Yet he himself offered sacrifices on the high
places. [ ... ]

1 Kings Chapter 5

Hiram, the king of Tyre, sent emissaries to Solomon, because he heard that Solomon had been anointed king to
succeed his father. Hiram had always loved David. Solomon sent back a message to Hiram, "You know that my
father David could not build a temple in the name of the Lord, his God, because of the battles surrounding him, and
until such a time that the Lord should put all his enemies under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord, my God, has
given me rest all around. There is no adversary. There is no evil occurrence. Behold! I avow to build a temple in the
name of the Lord, my God. The Lord spoke to my father David saying, ‘It is your son whom I will succeed you to
the throne who shall build the temple in my name.’ Command to cut cedars form Lebanon. My servants shall
become your servants

1 Kings Chapter 6

The foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid in the month of Ziv […] it was completed in all particulars,
exactly according to plan, […] in the eleventh year. Thus, it took Solomon seven years to build it.

B. THE SACRED TEACHINGS ON THE NARRATIVES

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1. Mary, the Queen of the Universe

The principle of gebirah1 is the norm where the mother of the king reigns as
queen. This tradition of having the mother of the king as queen began with King
Solomon, who made his mother, Bathsheba queen.
1 Kings Chapter 2
Considering that King Solomon had many wives, he
chose his mother, Bathsheba, as queen. This tradition continued Bathsheba went to King
Solomon to speak to
throughout the succeeding Kingdoms of Judah as indicated by hjm for Adonijah. The
the names of the King's mothers beside their names. Thus, king rose to meet her,
and he bowed down to
Not all the kings of Israel and Judah bore with them the her. He sat upon his
throne. Then a throne
name of their mothers. This only means that the mothers of was set for the king's
these king s did not reign along with their respective sons-kings. mother, who sat at his
right hand.
Only those who bore with them the names of their respective
mothers reigned with their mothers as queen. Nowadays, they
are called the "queen mother; i.e., mother of the king and the
mother of all under the king.
Many ask about the logic "of Jesus, the King of the Universe and Mary, His
mother, reigning as the Queen Mother. The answer to this question is the tradition
started by King Solomon, where in spite of the number of wives King Solomon had, the
king chose his mother Bathsheba, to be queen (and not one of his wives). This is the
reason why many of the succeeding kings of both the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
have their mother's name affixed to their names. And it is because the mother of the
king acts as queen (and not the wife of the king)!
Mary is the mother of Jesus, the King. She is queen because she is the mother of
the King!

2. The Temple of God is a place of worship and prayer.

With the help of King Hiram of Tyre (David's friend) King Solomon completed the
Temple in Jerusalem in seven years. At the back of these two giants were the unsung
workers, architects and engineers who stationed themselves in the field during the
construction and completion of the Temple. People also pitched in to further speed up
the construction. In just seven years, the Temple in Jerusalem was successfully built
because of these people.
Centuries will pass and the Child Jesus will stay in this Temple for three days so
as to be with His Father. Years more and Jesus will clean the Temple from thieves and
those who make it a marketplace.
1
The word gebirah is the feminine form of the Hebrew geber, which means "lord" or "master"
as an address to a king. Thus, a gebirah is an address to a queen.

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We might as well think how the massive and aesthetically built churches of
today were constructed. Behind them were also men and women who gave much of
what they had to purchase a house of worship, a place of peace where people could
meet and converse with God. Let us thank God for their generosity. For without them,
these churches would not have been built.
With this, let us support the construction of chapels and churches in our
respective places. It is through the generosity of the people of the past that the people of
the present enjoy the church built in their time.
As we marvel at the great churches and chapels built, let us keep them clean,
orderly, and peaceful. Let us think not of ourselves, but for the others who for just once
in their lives shall pass by and converse with God inside a church.

3. Our bodies are temple of the Holy Spirit.

In parallel, "cleaning the church, because God dwells there;' means that "we have
to keep our bodies clean because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
The time we receive the sacrament of Confirmation is the time the Holy Spirit
dwells in us. Thus, from that time on, we have a special lndweller in us. To make our
bodies clean does not only mean taking a bath every day. Rather, it also means
cleansing ourselves from the dirt of sinful thoughts and deeds.
In like manner, we have to keep our bodies clean every time we receive the Holy
Communion, because through the Holy Communion Jesus comes and resides in us. Let
us make our bodies clean not only by taking a bath every day, but also by cleansing
ourselves form dirt of sinful thoughts and deeds.

4. We are the "living stones" that build the Church.

Churches and chapels abound in our midst. However, there is another type of
church that we should contemplate and reflect upon. This church is our respective
communities (our families, our parishes, our dioceses, our world).
We (i.e., every one of us) are all part of this "spiritual church" built and
constructed to worship and praise God. With our talents and special gifts, we are to
enliven this church by participating actively in their programs. We are to open up and
view the needs of others who are also part of this "spiritual church:' And we shall do
these, because we love God.

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C. ACTIVITY
Go to your parish. With the use of your cellphone (or any available gadget), take
a picture and draw a sketch of your parish church on the space provided.

LESSON 20
THE KINGDOM OF DAVID DIVIDED IN TWO

Learning Objectives

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 SALVATION HISTORY

- To understand and asses the political leaders who are worth trusting and
electing into a power/position
- To examine the value orientation and the morality of community leaders

A. THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM OF DAVID

At the death of King Solomon, the kingdom was divided on two: one in the north
and another in the south. The kingdom in the north named itself the Kingdom of Israel,
while the kingdom in the south named itself the Kingdom of Judah. The tribes of Judah
and Benjamin composed the Kingdom of Judah, while the other ten tribes composed the
Kingdom of Israel.
 Solomon was old and dying.
 Jeroboam, an official of Solomon ' in charge of
slave labor, spoke to a prophet who told him that
he would be the king of the ten tribes of Israel
(cf.1 Kgs u.26-39).
 Jeroboam decided to stage an uprising against
Solomon.
 Solomon discovered the uprising; Jeroboam flees
to Egypt and waited for the death of Solomon
( cf. 1 Kgs 11:40).
 Rehoboam, son of Solomon, went to Shechem so
as to be proclaimed king, successor to the throne
~f Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs 12:1,17).
 From Egypt, Jeroboam returned and was
proclaimed king by the ten tribes (cf. 1 Kgs
12:20).
 Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem. With the tribes of
Benjamin and Judah, he staged a plan to battle
Jeroboam and the ten tribes (cf . .1 Kgs 12:21).
God, however, stopped Rehoboam to fight the
men of Jeroboam, rather was asked to accept the
fate of the former kingdom of David (cf; 1 Kgs
12:22-24).
 The kingdom was divided in two. Jeroboam took the northern part, while
Rehoboam reigned in the southern part. Rehoboam maintained Jerusalem as his
capital. On the other hand, at first Jeroboam made Shechem his capital, later on
he will transfer it at Penuel (cf. 1 Kgs 12:25). When Baasha ruled the kingdom, he
moved the capital to Tirzah (cf. 1 Kgs 15:25-34). Finally with King Omri, Samaria
became the capital of the northern kingdom ( cf. 1 Kgs 16:23-24).

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Since the Temple Jerusalem was found in the territory of the Kingdom of Judah it
became closer to God. All the sacrifices were continuously offered to God. The prayers
become constant and the expression of love to the one God had never been so lively.
Without the Temple to offer their sacrifices, the Kingdom of Israel put up several
shrines to satisfy the need of the people to talk to God. These shrines, however, were
converted to temples for the gods and goddesses of their pagan neighbors allowing
everyone to worship any god.
Worst, the kings of the Kingdom of Israel married pagan women who were
allowed by the kings to put up their own temples for their own gods and goddesses. As
the kings turned their backs on God, the people of the kingdom followed. They also
married· pagan women who followed the whims of their pagan wives who adored their
pagan gods and totally forgot God.

B. THE SACRED TEACHINGS CONCERNING THE DIVISION OF THE

KINGDOM OF DAVID
1. The ambition for power leads to the division ·of the community.
There are those who, charged of leadership, then and now, who squabble in the
end for power. These supposed leaders would bring in division to a unified
community. All because of their personal and vested interests, they engage themselves
and their followers to bloody wars.
We live in communities. We have our families, our barangays, our towns (cities),
provinces, our nation, our continent, and our world. It is true that we are all different
from one another, but these differences should not be the cause to wage war against
each other. As educated people, let us always communicate openly and respect each
other's opinions. And let us set aside all the pride in us, and humble ourselves to follow
what is right, just, and best for all.
Listening to each one's ideas and raising one's thoughts at the proper time and
place is what we call "dialogue” We listen as we also speak up (for what we think is
right and just). Dialogue is a two-way traffic.
On the other hand, dialogue does not mean simply bowing down to an unjust,
immoral, and improper opinion for the sake of peace. While dialogue leads to peace,
peace will never be attained if unjust, immoral, and improper opinions are upheld.
2. Leadership entails responsibilities and duty to show good examples to the
members of the community.

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 SALVATION HISTORY

To be a leader is to accept the responsibilities and duties to guide others in

pursuit of moral and ethical lives, exemplifying humility, justice and courage to do
what is right and good.
A responsible leader us humble to accept corrections. He has to listen to
complaints, and encourage everyone to humble themselves toward personal change.
A leader must be just in his/her decision. He/she must always ask the guidance
of the Holy Spirit to render justice to everyone.
A leader should be firm in his/her faith. He/she must stand to what God really
wants for the members of the community he/she is leading. He/she is placed by God to
lead such a community. He/she should, therefore, be unwavering in following what
God really wants for the community.
3. A leader who leads his community to vicious and sinful ways should not be
followed by the members of the community.
The members of the community are not duty bound to follow their leader, no
matter how charismatic he/she may be, if the leader maintains an immoral 'and unjust
disposition on a plan of action, and if the action would lead to sin and disorder.
It is the duty of all members of the community, therefore, to weigh the plans and
decisions of their leaders, so much so that in a consistency of immoral and unjust acts,
the community should pray (so as to be guided by the Holy Spirit) and decide for the
most peaceful way of correcting their leader. A leader should not support what is
improper or unjust. The members should pray (asking the Holy Spirit for guidance) and
move toward peace.
4. An unselfish leader who leads his/her community to its betterment through moral
and just ways should be followed at all cost.
God Himself chooses our leaders. Just like the kings of Israel, our leaders are
chosen by God. This is so with the maxim, "Vox populi, vox Dei." Thus, through our
votes, God speaks: a leader is chosen.
If the leader manifests his/her sincerity to lead, and his/her life is dedicated for
the service of justice and peace in the most moral ways, that leader should be followed
at all costs. He/she has been chosen by God to lead His people to safer grounds; as a
good shepherd tending the sheep with love, we, his sheep, should follow wherever
he/she wants us to be.

C. ACTIVITY

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 SALVATION HISTORY

1. Is it okay to have a leader who only wants to lead, but selfishly puts forward his
personal interests so as "to lead"? Explain. (2pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. If ever you have known about these selfish tendencies, will you still vote for
him/her? Explain. (2pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Is "bloodline" or "kinship" (i.e., relationships) important to you, that even if you know
how corrupt/selfish a person is, still you will vote for him? (1pt)
__________
4. Before you vote, will you take time to evaluate the candidates, or will you just write
down names in the ballot without knowing them? What will you do? (2pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. "What is more important to you, "personality" (i.e., the looks) or "character" (i.e., the
heart)?' Explain. (3pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 21
THE KINGS VS. THE PROPHETS (AHAB-JEZEBEL VS. ELIJAH

Learning Objectives

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 SALVATION HISTORY

- To understand and analyze the context of the Fist commandment and believe in
on true God by remaining faithful to his/her religion

A. THE TRIUMPH OF A PROPHET OF GOD

1. Review of the Past Lesson of Israel
The kings, especially those from the
Kingdom of Israel (in contrast to the
Kingdom of Judah), had erected a lot of
shrines for the worship of God. The
Kingdom of David was divided in two,
i.e., the Kingdoms Israel and Judah; thus,
the former did not have a temple, while
the latter had the Temple built by
Solomon in Jerusalem.
With the marriage of the kings to
foreign women, these shrines were converted to the worship of their respective gods
and goddesses. In no time, new shrines were built for the gods of the new wives of
foreign origin.
With the marriage of the kings to foreign women, the people of the Kingdom of
Israel had become open also to marriages to foreign women, so much so that they too
came to the worship of the gods and goddesses of their wives.
With the influence of the kings and their wives, the people and children of the
Kingdom of Israel went back to their former way of life of worshipping other gods,
instead of the true God who had saved them from the oppressing hands of the
Egyptians. They had forgotten God. Instead, they worshipped the gods and goddesses
of foreign lands who had ears, but could not hear; eyes, but could not see; mouths, but
could not speak.

2. The Story of the Defeat of the Prophets of Jezebel (wife of King Ahab of the
Kingdom of Israel) by the Prophet Elijah
It was the time of the kingship of King Ahab, when Jezebel, his wife, brought
into the kingdom a new kind of worship. She introduced to the people of the Kingdom
of Israel to a new god, i.e., Baal. To make the people worship this god, Jezebel brought
into the kingdom her prophets who not only acted as priests, but also offered oblations
to their god Baal. Added to this, Jezebel ordered the murder of the prophets of God so
that they would be silenced of their complaints and eventually put an end to their
influences that hampered her desires.

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 SALVATION HISTORY

To this situation, God sent Elijah to combat the situation and at the same time to
show the people of the Kingdom of Israel that Jezebel’s god was a hoax.
In an event, during the time of drought that caused famine in all the land of the
Kingdom of Israel, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal. They were to meet him in a
mountain and there, beseech their god and Elijah’s God. Whoever among the two
would be successful in showing the people that their god/God listens and answers
would be the true God, who is to be worshipped.

1 Kings Chapter 18

Many days Past, the word of the Lord came to Elijah [...], saying, "Go, see Ahab that I may give rain [to shower
down] upon the earth." Elijah went and met Ahab. !he famine was strong in Samaria.[...]

[Elijah said to King Ahab] Gather and send all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, and the four hundred and fifty
prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at the table of Jezebel." 20Ahab sent all the
Israelites and gathered the prophets on Mount Carmel. [...] Elijah said to the people, "I am that is left of the prophets
of the Lord, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Give us two young bulls. Let them choose the
young bull to be slaughtered into pieces and place it on wood. Yet they are not to put fire on it. I shall prepare the
other young bull and place it on wood. Neither shall I put fire on it. You shall call the name of your gods, and I will
call on 'the Lord. The God who answers with fire is God." All the people answered, saying, "Agreed!" Elijah said to
the prophets of Baal, "Choose for yourselves one young bull and prepare it first, because you are many. Call the name
of your gods. Yet you shall not put ·on the fire." They took the young bull that was given to them. They prepared it.
And they called upon Baal from morning until noon, saying, "Oh, Baal, answer us!” Yet, there was no sound. There
was no answer. They jumped around the altar that they made. [...] Elijah said to all the people, "Come to me." And all
the people came to him. When they had done so, he restored the altar of the Lord already turned down. He took
twelve stones, as in the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Lord said "Your name shall be Israel." He
built an altar of stones in the name of the Lord. He also made a water course around the altar large enough to contain
two seahs of grain. He set in order the wood. He slaughtered the young bull and laid it on the wood. 34He said, "Fill
four jars with water, and pour it upon the offering and upon the wood.” He said , "Do it again."

And they did it again. He said, Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. The water flowed around the altar,
and the watercourse was filled with the water. It occurred that when sacrifice is to be offered, Elijah, the prophet
came nearer and said, "Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and I
am your servant and have done all these things by your command. Answer me, Lord! Answer me that this people
may know that you, Lord, are God and that you turn their hearts back to you." The fire of the Lord came down and
devoured the offering, the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water in the trench. All the people saw it. They fell
prostrate. And they said, The Lord is God! The Lord is God!" Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Let none
of them escape!" They were seized. Elijah brought them down to the torrent-valley of Kishon. And they slaughtered
them there.

Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, because there is the sound of a heavy rain." Ahab went up to eat and
drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. He bended toward the ground, and set his face between his knees. He said
to his servant, "Climb up and look out toward the sea." He went up and looked. He said; "There is nothing." Seven
times he said, "Go look again!" On the seventh time the servant said, "Behold! There is a cloud as small as a man's
hand rising from the sea." Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Bind up and come down before the rain stops you.'" lt
happened that the skies grew dark with clouds and winds. Then heavy rains came. Ahab mounted [his chariot] and
went to Jezreel. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab so as to approach
Jezreel.

B. The Sacred Teachings on the Story of Elijah and the Prophets of Jezeebel

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 SALVATION HISTORY

1. God is the true God who is to be worshipped.

The first of the Ten Commandments O God says "I, the Lord your God, who brought
you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. You shall not have other gods
other than me. You shall not make for yourselves idols in the form of anything in the
sky above, not bow down before them and worship them, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting them, because I, the Lord, your God, am a jelous God, inflicting punishment
for the wickedness of the fathers of the children of thise who hate me, down to the thir
and fourth generation” (Ex 20:2-5).

New circumstances brought the people of God in the Kingdom of Israel to forget this
first and important commandment of God. It is about the truth of the one God who has
manifested Himself to mankind with a special actuation with the Israelites. To forget
this norm is to forget the truth about God who has created the world, who loves and
protects. To forget this norm is to set aside the truth and to live in fickleness and
falsehood.

2. God listens and speaks; He loves and makes His presence known to His people.
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the true God who created the universe
and all that is ·in it. He is the Supreme Being who loves and protects His people.
Unlike the gods and goddesses of the ancient times God is not a mere invention
of human imagination. He existed from the very beginning, created everything, and
sustained all that there is.
He hears us. He listens to our pains. He feels us and does everything to make us happy.
He sees us and does what is best to make our situation better. He talks to us and speaks
in the innermost of our being.
God is alive. He is true. He loves and He shall never abandon us.
3. The other gods are not true.
The other gods invented by the human imagination are not true. They are merely
parts of our fantasies. Their stories are called "myths" and are great to entertain us and
to obtain moral lessons. However, these gods and goddesses are not true. They are not
like God who is not only true, but cares, loves and protects His people.
At this point, it is, noteworthy that we go back to what the fundamentalists are
saying against (Catholics. Thus, using these passages, they accuse us of "idolatry"
because of the images of Jesus, Mother Mary, and the saints. Yet such accusation is
baseless and is done to malign the Catholic Church, with a selfish objective of attracting

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 SALVATION HISTORY

new members for their communities/fellowships. This is not good, for they are using
false accusations (contrary to the Eighth Commandment) against other people and
Other people's beliefs. Furthermore, they interpret the Bible wrongly, thus using its
contents for the sole reason of accusing people so as to gain new members.
Again, as we have already discussed it before, recall:
a. the case of the bronze serpent commanded by God to be made
Numbers Chapter 21

[The Israelites] set out from Mount Hor to the Red Sea road, to by-pass the land of Edom. And with their shortened
passion due to the long journey, the people complained against God and Moses, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt
to die in this wilderness, because there is no food or water here? We abhor this worthlessness!" The Lord sent among
the people seraph serpents, which bit the people so that many Israelites died. Then the people came to Moses and
said, "We sinned by complaining against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord that he take away the serpents from us."
And Moses prayed for the people. and the Lord said to Moses, "Make a seraph and put it on a pole. Anyone who
has been bitten looks at it, and he will live." Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. And anyone who
had been bitten by a serpent and looked at the bronze serpent, lived.

b. the case of the images inscribed in the Temple of Jerusalem as commanded by God
1 Kings Chapter 6

Solomon overlaid the interior of the temple with pure gold. […] Made for the Holy of Holies were two cherubim,
each ten cubits high of olive wood. […] The Cherubim were cut in identical size and shape. […] The cherubim
were set in the midst of the inmost part of the temple. […] The walls on all sides of the temple were carved with
engravings of figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. […] The two doors were of olive wood, with
carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. […] The two doors […] had carved cherubim, palm
trees, and open flowers[…]”

c. the case of the Ark of the Covenant

Exodus Chapter 25

The Lord said to Moses, [...] You shall make an ark[...] Make two cherubim of hammered gold for the two ends of the
propitiatory. [...] The cherubim should have their wings spread out. The wings shall cover the propitiatory. Their
faces shall be turned toward each other, but the faces of the cherubim should be looking toward the propitiatory."

The command of God has a final clause that explains everything: you shall not
bow down before them and worship them. The "bronze serpent" was made and the
"images" in the Ark of the Covenant and in the Temple of Jerusalem were inscribed as
ordered by God not for the purpose of "worship." Thus, God prohibits the worship of
anything, except Him alone, Therefore, the making of images is not bad, especially if
it is not for the purpose of worshipping!
We, Catholics, do not worship images. They are made so that we are reminded of
God's love. And in the case of the images of the saints, they do not only remind us of
God's love for them (in their time), but also remind us of the possibility of love, and the
performance of the sacred virtues in our daily lives.
4. The gods of modern-day people

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 SALVATION HISTORY

Again, we recall:
In our contemporary times, we have "new idols" which we worship. They are
those that make us turn our backs on God and neighbor. They are the following: (a)
wealth; (b) the self, motivated by ambition and pride; (c) social positions; (d) material
possessions; (e) drugs; (f) alcohol; (g} pornography, among others.
When we tend to set aside God and our neighbor, and we are obsessed by
something to the point that we cannot live anymore without it (i.e., being "hooked" on
it), then we "worship" them in a way that they become gods and idols of our lives.

C. ACTIVITY
Enumerate 5 modern day idols, e.g., wealth, pride, and contrast it with the first
commandment, explain briefly why it goes against the first commandment.
1. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 22
ASSYRIA AND THE FALL OF THE OBSTINATE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL

Learning Objectives
- to understand the historical and
theological backgrounds of the Fall of
Israel
- to evaluate his/her relationship to God
and neighbor.

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 SALVATION HISTORY

A. THE FALL OF ISRAEL IN THE HISTORY OF THE ANDENT WORLD

1. Assyria flexes its Arms

2. The Confidence of Being the "People of God"

Things went from bad to worst in the Kingdom of Israel. Not only did they
worship foreign and untrue gods and goddesses, they also trampled down the poor of
the society. Those who were enjoying a lot of blessings abused those who had none.
Instead of helping people, they would try to put them down and stole from them that
which was left of their dignity.
Prophets like Amos and Micah were sent by God to cry out for the needed
change, but their preaching fell on deaf ears. None of the people of the Kingdom of
Israel wanted to listen. These prophets, along with Hosea, warned them of the coming
destruction to be imposed by God if they did not turn from their sinful ways. Still, they
did not heed the words of threat.
The people of the Kingdom of Israel, along with their kings, confidently believed
that in spite ·of what they had done (against God for worshipping other gods, and
against their lowly neighbors for putting them down and abusing them to the extreme),
they will never be annihilated by God for two important reasons. One of these reasons
was their offerings to God. They really thought that they could bribe God with their
offerings as they presented to Him in carious altars the best of their produce up to the
Temple in Jerusalem where oblations were made. Yet in spite of their offered

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 SALVATION HISTORY

holocausts, they maintained their worship to other gods and abused their lowly
brothers and sisters.
Another reason for not heeding the cries of the prophets was their confidence on
their situation as the "chosen people of God.” For how could God destroy them, when
they were His chosen ones? Among the people of the world, they had been picked by
God to be His own as He had promised their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They
would never taste the hand of a foreign power and be annihilated, simply because they
were the "children of Jacob”, i.e., the children of the promise once pronounced by God
to Abraham.
However, God cannot be bribed. He may have chosen them to be His people, but
the worse of crimes have been committed: against Him and against the lowly. They
shall be chastised, as the prophets have cried out to them unless they change their sinful
ways but they did not.
In due time, God pushed Assyria to flex its mighty arms to destroy the Kingdom
of Israel.
For years, the Kingdom of Israel (along with the petty kingdoms of the ancient
world like its sister kingdom Judah) were paying huge taxes to Assyria. With
confidence in its mighty army (as it allied itself with Assyria and the rest of the petty·
kingdoms with the exemption of some like the Kingdom of Judah) and with the
mistaken self-assurance that God would never abandon His people; the Kingdom of
Israel rebelled against Assyria. Assyria was enraged. It crushed the Kingdom of Israel.
With the death of Tiglatphileser (Tiglath-Pileser) Ill in 727 BCE, the Kingdom of
Israel (believing in its own might) began to revolt again Assyria. In 722 BCE, with the
new king (Shalamaneser V: 727-722 BCE), Assyria obliterated the Kingdom of Israel. It
destroyed its army. It dislodged those in the higher echelon and sent them all to exile in
various lands to be sold as slaves. It made the land desolate for years. And it practically
erased the Kingdom of Israel in the ancient map, leaving the Kingdom of Judah
standing alone.
B. THE SACRED TEACHINGS ON THE STORY OF THE FALL OF THE KINGDOM
OF ISRAEL
1. God cannot be bribed.
Bribing is the act of offering ·gifts to someone so as to obtain favors. In human
society, such an act is very common. And most often than not, it is done in secret,
although in some ways it comes out in the open in due time.
It is sad to know that things like these happen in our world, for it is not correct to
bribe anyone especially if it is to cover injustices.

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 SALVATION HISTORY

However, God cannot be bribed. One's sin will always be a sin. To make
reparation, one should humble himself, accept the sin done, and ask God for
forgiveness; to feel the pain of sin and resolve to change one's ways; and to sympathize
with due reparation with those hurt by one's actions/words.
Thus, making it simpler, God does not need gifts because everything comes from
Him. What He needs is a contrite heart, ready to change and to do what is best for God
and his neighbors.
2. To love God is to love one's neighbor.
Offerings and sacrifices are not enough to express one's love to God. Loving God
entails the service and the love for one's neighbor. To love God 1s to love one's
neighbor.
To make it easier, one has only to recall what Jesus once said, "Whatever you
have done to the least of my brothers you have done to me” (Mt 25:40). To love Jesus is
to love everyone, no matter what and no matter who the other is.
One cannot love God, ·without loving (or just merely hating) someone.
If we really want to love God and we want to express
it with firm devotion, we just have to open up to everyone,
11 John
John Chapter
Chapter 44
loving each one… forgiving and embracing.
3. Sin cases one’s destruction. If anyone says, "I love
God," but hates his
It was the pride of an unchanging heart that caused the brother he is a liar. For
whoever does not love a
destruction of the Kingdom of Israel. And the root of it all is brother whom he has
sin, i.e., their rebellion from God and their continued abuse of seen cannot love God
whom he has not seen.
the lowly. This is the
commandment we have
Sin corrupts any person. It destroys him/her. It leads from him: whoever loves
one to death, i.e., to the fiery death in the afterlife called God should also love his
brother.
"hell.”
Sin destroys our relationship with God. Although God
is a forgiving God, sin leads us farther from God. Sin pushes us to leave God and forget
His love for us.

4. God sends men/women to proclaim change.

God sends men and women to proclaim the needed change in us. In the Bible, we
call them "prophets:' In the same way, we call them today "modern-day prophets;' i.e.,
proclaimers of change so that we may turn away from our sinful ways and return to the
right and correct path toward God's awaiting arms.

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 SALVATION HISTORY

These "modern-day prophets" are actually our parents, siblings, friends, etc.
They are the ones sent by God to remind us of His existence, His love and His
forgiveness. They are the ones who, through the manifestation of their love for us, tell
us to. change our ways and return to good. They are those who truly love us, for he
who does hot care to speak for change does not really love,' but lets the other sink in the
mire of sin. And they have constantly spoken so that we may change. They love us, and
so they tell us that we need to change.
God sends them to us. We just have to listen to them, humble ourselves, and
begin the path toward change.

C. ACTIVITY
Share a moment or a story of your life that God sent someone to help you change or
made you closer to God.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 23
THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH AND ITS SURVIVAL FORM THE ASSYRIAN
ONSLAUGHT

Learning Objectives
- to understand and explain the
fulfillment of God’s promise to His
people and believes that God will never
abandon those who have faith in Him.
-

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 SALVATION HISTORY

A. THE PROMISE OF THE VIRGIN WHO SHALL BEAR A CHILD

It was the year 734 BCE (other books say, 738 or 737 BCE) when the Syro-
Ephraimite War broke. King Pekah of the Kingdom of Israel and King Rezin of the
Kingdom of Syria decided to break away from the Assyrian might. Assyria, then, was
the superpower in control of the ancient world.
Considering the need to be with her sister kingdom, i.e., the Kingdom of Judah.
King Pekah solicited the support of the kingdom of Judah for the planned uprising
against Assyria. King Ahaz of the Kingdom of Judah refused to join the coalition.
Angered by the refusal, King Pekah and King Rezin attacked the Kingdom of
Judah. The latter defended its territories to no avail. In the event of the capture of
Jerusalem, King Ahaz looked heavenward and thought. Yet Isaiah, the prophet, was
sent to him by God to foretell a prophecy that shall be remembered after several
centuries.

Isaiah Chapter 7

It occurred that in the days of Ahaz, king of Judah (son of Jotham, son of Uzziah), Rezhl, king of Aram, and Pekah,
king of Israel (son of Remaliah), went up to do battle against Jerusalem. Yet they were not able to conquer it. News
came to the house of David that Aram was already in Ephraim. The hearts of the people trembled like the trees of the
forest tremble in the wind. Then the Lord said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at
the end of the watercourse of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller's field. Tell him, 'Take care. Remain
tranquil. Do not fear. Let your heart be tender from these two tails of smoldering brands: the blazing anger of Rezin
(and the Arameans) and the son of Remaliah on account of the thoughts of Aram against you and the evilness of
Ephraim and the son of Remaliah against you, saying, Let us go up to Judah. Let us cause dread upon it. Let us break
into it and make the son of Tabeel king there."' Thus says the Lord God, "This shall not stand. This shall not be! The
head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. [ ... ] the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head
of- Samaria is the son of Remaliah. [Both shall be ·crushed after sometime ... ] If you do not believe you cannot be
firm." 1°The Lord again spoke to Ahaz, saying, "Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God. Let it be deep as Sheol or
high as the skies!" Ahaz said, "I will not ask! I will not test the Lord!" He said, "Listen, 0 house of David! A few of
you are weary men, because you weary my God. Thus, the Lord himself will give you this sign "Behold! The virgin
shall he with child, She shall bear a son. And he shall he called, Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he
learns to reject the bad and choose the good. For before the child learns to reject the bad and choose the good. For
before the child learns to reject the bad and choose the good, the land of these kings whom you fear shall be deserted.
[…]

B. THE SACRED TEACHINGS ON THE PROMISE

1. In the midst of doubts, God shall bring forth light and hope.
All throughout the history of the people of God, God showed up in the right
moment to defend and to protect His flock.
King Ahaz of the Kingdom of Judah did not want the war with the Kingdom of
Israel. They were sister-kingdoms and the shedding of blood between them should

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 SALVATION HISTORY

never occur. Yet King Pekah of the Kingdom of Israel insisted to have the Kingdom of
Judah in his selfish and overly confident desire to do battle with Assyria.
King Pekah and his army attacked carelessly (backed by the Kingdom of Syria)
the Kingdom of Judah. Little did he know, however, God was in the side of the humble
Kingdom of Judah.
In our lives, we face difficulties because of some selfish persons. Our dignity
would be trampled on. Our lives would turn miserable. Yet God does not abandon His
own. He shall be with us at the right moment, sending the best of men/women to take
care of us and to protect us from harm.
Think of the times when we became weary, doubtful, and afraid. Then suddenly,
help came. Recall what had happened in the past. Truly, God was there, sending the
best for our happiness and protection.
2. The promise pronounced in Eden is again revived in the Kingdom of Judah.
Way back in our first lesson, we discussed the promise of God about a woman
who shall bear a child. This child, moreover, shall crush the head of the Devil
(symbolized by the primordial serpent).
Genesis Chapter 3

[And God said to the serpent,] ”I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your child and her
child. He shall strike you in the head while you will strike him at his heel.

This is all about the so-called, “blessed curse.” It is about the promise of the coming of
the savior and the woman who shall bear him in her womb. The promised woman shall
be filled with grace, to the point that she shall never be “tricked” nor be under the spell
of the Devil to commit any mistake/sin. From her conception, she shall be freed from
original sin and until her death she shall maintain the purity of hear and soul for she
has been part of the eternal plan of God to bear the Savior of the world.
Now in this lesson, we come again to God’s promise (the same promise, but with
new specifications):
Isaiah Chapter 7

"Thus, the Lord himself will give you this sign, "Behold! The virgin shall be with child, She shall bear a son. And
he shall be called, Immanuel.”

The promised "woman" pronounced in Genesis 3:15 is a "virgin;' i.e., untouched

by any man, so much so that the child to be born from her womb shall be called"
Immanuel meaning "God within us. "Thus, the child to be born of the promised woman
shall not be a product of the relationship of a man and a woman, rather would be a
"mystical conception" (i.e., conceived mysteriously).

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Moreover, the child to be born from the woman shall be God (i.e., the Second
Person of the One God), because He shall be the incarnated God who would become the
"Immanuel meaning, "God within us 'Thus, He shall be true God and true man at the
same time.
3. The fulfillment of the promise awaits the birth of Mary who shall be the virgin
who will give birth to the Immanuel.
Centuries passed since the proclamation of the Prophet Isaiah of the prophecy of
the coming virgin who shall bear a child, a young virgin from Nazareth, Galilee, was
greeted by an angel of God.
Luke Chapter 1

ln the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God [ ... ], to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph from the.
house of David, and the name of the virgin was Mary. And coming toward her, he said, "Hail, highly blessed! The
Lord is with you." But she was greatly perplexed over the word and thought of what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 'And behold! You will
conceive in your womb and will give birth to a son, and you will call him with the name, Jesus. He will be great
and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will
reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will have no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How
can this be, since I have not known any man?" And the angel replied to her, saying, "The holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore, the begotten child will be called
holy Son of God. [ ... ]" And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according
to your word." And the angel left her.

Moreover,
4. The sacredness of virginity/purity
On the cross, Jesus presented to the world two important figures. They are
special gifts to each one of us.
John Chapter 19

Jesus saw his mother and the disciples e whom he loved. He said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son." Then he
said to the disciple, “Behold your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her as his own.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, became our mother. She had been a virgin since the
mystical conception of Jesus until her death. St. John on the other hand had maintained
his celibacy (i.e., virginity) for the greater glory of God.
There is sacredness in one’s virginity. If it is to be offered, it shall be given for the
sacredness of the sacrament of Marriage which many of us would traverse. We hold on
to this virginity, thinking of the holiness of St. John and Mother Mary.

C. ACTIVITY
Draw a Marian image or title of our Lady. Ex. Our Lady of Fatima.

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