Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of II Samuel Chapter 10
Metaphysically Interpreting II Samuel 10:1-19
10:1And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 10:2And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. 10:3But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it? 10:4So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. 10:5When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
10:6And when the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men. 10:7And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 10:8And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
10:9Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians: 10:10And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon. 10:11And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. 10:12Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah do that which seemeth him good. 10:13So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. 10:14And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
10:15And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together. 10:16And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head. 10:17And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him. 10:18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there. 10:19And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
August 9, 1896: II Sam. 10:8-19
The events of the Hebrew history, recorded in the scriptures, must be regarded as standing for positive Spiritual activities in us, rather than as a mere historical record. In all history there is always so strong an element of uncertainty that one of our ablest writers and orators has said that “history is a record of events that never occurred.”
Divine inspiration of the scriptures was not given merely for history's sake; that were a matter of smaller moment.
Inspiration is a spiritual revelation of (spiritual) Truth presented to the human mind under various symbolisms; and these figurative portrayals find their exact fulfillment in human experiences in all ages. Unlike history, Truth thus presented contains no element of uncertainty. The symbol always finds its spiritual counterpart in human hearts; while history having once had its day is forever afterward only valuable as effete retrospection.
To read scripture as history is to stumble at “the letter that killeth;” to read it as the record of heart experience is to catch “the spirit that giveth life.” “My words are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” — Prov. 4:22. As the portrayal of heart experiences, they are a marvel of beauty and accuracy.
Thus the experiences of David are our own experience in spiritual thought, that is, if we have advanced to that plane of consciousness. His remarkable advancement is the growth and development of the David consciousness, the consciousness of Love dominant.
In this lesson his battles and victories are our own overcomings in this consciousness, showing that Love subdues all enemies, all hate and malice, all bitterness and revenge, all envy and jealousy, and everything antagonistic to itself.
8. In the David consciousness one does not wage a war of conquest, because Love sees no enemy until it obtrudes itself on his notice by attack; then he goes forth to battle overcoming and slaying his enemies, thereby extending his dominion. The “Ammonites” are descendants of Lot, through his incestuous son, Ben-Amri, and they stand for thoughts of jealousy, for they misinterpret David's (Love) motives. – II Sam. 10:1-7. This progenitor of the “Ammonites” was conceived in misunderstanding. On the destruction of Sodom, Lot's daughters were moved to their incestuous act through the mistaken notion that they were the only survivors of the race – Gen. 19:30-33. It is a misconception that jealousy is the perversion of a high and noble idea; for a “jealous God” is an expression denoting God's uncompromising fixedness in Truth. This idea, perverted through mortal mind's misconception of Truth, is the birth of the “Ammonites” (jealousy), who put the battle in array against Love. These “Ammonite” thoughts are very selfish and insulting. They fight “at the entering in at the gate” of their own city, within self's domain, cowardly.
The “Syrians” are carnal mind's thoughts against God, and not subject to the law of God. They manifest an open hostility in the field.
9, 10. The faithful individual in this consciousness brings his aid thoughts kindred to Love (David's cousins): They are “Joab” (God, his Father) and “Abishai” (God's gift or grace).
11. That is, in the David consciousness, we are absolutely invincible as long as we realize our Divine sonship (Joab) and God's abiding Grace (Abishai). These thoughts are co-operative in that the extermination of evil thoughts and their manifestations.
12. They are leaders competent to marshal all our spiritual forces and so handle them (“play the men”) as to bring into manifestation perfect bodily conditions (“for the cities of our God”). This is possible of accomplishment, when we work in the understanding that the Divine Will is the only will (“Let God do as He Will”).
13. When we advance on any claim of mortal mind, if we are “rooted and grounded” in Love, realizing our Divine Sonship and knowing only the Divine Will, that false claim will quickly disappear (“They fled before him”).
14. In like manner the understanding of the Grace of God (Abishai) easily puts to flight all “Ammonite” thoughts, for jealousy cannot exist where there is the atmosphere of Divine favor.
15, 16. A single victory over evil thoughts, or over their manifestation in unhealthy conditions, is not always a final victory; the false claim may again return to the attack, reinforced by the whole force of mortal mind, new officers for a desperate onslaught; which arouses us to heroic battle.
17. The David consciousness now marshals all: the spiritual forces (“All Israel”) against the whole force of the “Syrians” (mortal mind).
18. In this battle royal the hosts of “Israel”, thus officered and this time led by Divine Love (David), make the hosts of sin flee precipitately; and the completeness of the slaughter of our foes within is indicated by the symbolic numbers, “700 charioteers and 40,000 horsemen” (7x10 and 4x10x10x10x10).
19. By this great battle of “Gog and Magog” we have exterminated the hosts of sin; and we find that “the kingdoms of this world (represented by the petty kingdoms of Syria) have become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.” Mortal mind overthrown is henceforth subordinate to the spiritual. This complete dominion shall be ours, if we abide in Love until it subdues all evil thoughts and manifestations, of inharmony, bringing the “peace that passeth understanding,” and “the manifestation of Sons of God.”
– UNITY magazine
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 11-08-2013
