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Speaker 1: Therefore, if any one is in Christ, the new creation

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Speaker 1: has come. The old has gone, The new is here.

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Speaker 1: Second Corinthians five seventeen. Thank you God that in Christ

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Speaker 1: I am a brand new creation. The old has gone.

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Speaker 1: Old thinking, old habits, old attitudes and behaviors, It's gone forever.

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Speaker 1: You have set me free from my past, free from

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Speaker 1: my failures and mistakes, free from any obstacles that would

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Speaker 1: stand in my way. Hallelujah. I am forgiven. I am free.

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Speaker 1: Then I am ready Lord for anything and everything you

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Speaker 1: have for me. I am ready to do great things

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Speaker 1: for you and for your kingdom. Now is the time,

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Speaker 1: This is my moment in history. This is when I

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Speaker 1: give everything I have and everything I am to live

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Speaker 1: the life you have called me to, to accomplish amazing

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Speaker 1: things in your power and for your glory. I declare

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Speaker 1: to day that I will not let anything stop me.

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Speaker 1: I will not let any one discourage me, and I

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Speaker 1: will keep my eyes on the prize and press on

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Speaker 1: until I achieve victory. Lord, remind me as I pursue

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Speaker 1: the goals and dreams you've given me, that the success

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Speaker 1: I seek is not for me, not for my own sake.

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Speaker 1: My success is meant to be a beacon of hope,

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Speaker 1: a sign or signal, a light that draws others to you.

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Speaker 1: May they too become new creations and be made new

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Speaker 1: in you in Jesus name. Amen. Stay tuned to immerse

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Speaker 1: yourself in the greatest stories ever told from prey dot

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Speaker 1: COM's podcast, Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 2: Hello. My name is Matthew Potter, co founder of Prey

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Speaker 2: dot com, and before we start today's episode of Heroes

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Speaker 2: in the Bible, I wanted to ask do you know

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Speaker 2: what your bank does with your money? At America's Christian

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Speaker 2: Credit Union, your everyday banking helps grow churches, expand the

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Speaker 2: reach of missions agencies, and supports fellow believers across the country.

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Speaker 2: Learn more about specials for switching to ACCU and their

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Speaker 2: nationwide banking capabilities at America's Christian cu dot Com Forward

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Speaker 2: credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.

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Speaker 3: Hi. I'm doctor Tony Evans and I'm excited for you

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Speaker 3: to join me on Heroes in the Bible. Please be

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Speaker 3: sure to follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify K

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Speaker 3: so you get the newest episodes right as they come out.

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Speaker 3: Welcome to the epic Adventure of David, a story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,

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Speaker 3: and murder. While most people know of David the Myth,

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Speaker 3: few know about David the man. In this episode, the

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Speaker 3: aging David suffers an identity crisis. Through famines, political unrest, wars,

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Speaker 3: and broken promises, David feels himself losing control. Loss of

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Speaker 3: control is not always a bad thing. When our fragile

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Speaker 3: lives are shaken up, it can draw us closer to

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Speaker 3: the Lord. In this episode, David wrestles with that process.

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Speaker 3: He struggles with the loss of his youthful strength, and

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Speaker 3: the weight of the crown is heavy on his head.

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Speaker 3: Even as David's bones become brittle and his voice loses

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Speaker 3: its volume, we still get glimpses into his remaining inner strength.

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Speaker 3: In this episode, David deals with famines, broken covenants, and

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Speaker 3: a mounting Philistine attack. Although he may some mistakes, we

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Speaker 3: will be coveted to hear David's honest and courageous heart.

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Speaker 3: Before we dive into the episode, we will have a prelude,

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Speaker 3: a story taken from another time when the Israelites were

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Speaker 3: wondering in the wilderness. The people had multiplied. The victories

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Speaker 3: under Joshua had made them feared in the ancient world.

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Speaker 3: They made a covenant under false pretenses, but it was

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Speaker 3: a covenant all the same. This episode will remind us

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Speaker 3: that God is serious about keeping promises. He holds his

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Speaker 3: people accountable to their word. We are reaching the end

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Speaker 3: of our hero's journey. We only have two episodes left.

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Speaker 3: Let's enjoy this time together with episode twenty nine, The

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Speaker 3: Heart of a King.

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Speaker 4: Prelude to chapter twenty nine. The Israelite slaves have been

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Speaker 4: freed from the clutches of Egypt by the mighty power

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Speaker 4: of their Lord. The Egyptians were crushed, and all who

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Speaker 4: sought to harm the children of God were vanquished. The

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Speaker 4: Israelites walked with the grace of God before them. In

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Speaker 4: every battle, the Lord upheld them. In every storm, the

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Speaker 4: Lord covered them by night. The Lord guided them, and

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Speaker 4: when they were hungry, the Lord fed them. After forty

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Speaker 4: years in the wilderness, being upheld only by the mercy

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Speaker 4: of God, it was time for the Israelites to take

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Speaker 4: the land promised to them. They had grown massive and numbered,

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Speaker 4: and the smaller kingdoms of the east feared them greatly.

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Speaker 4: Among those small nations was Gibeon. They had heard of

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Speaker 4: God's mighty fist toppling down the walls of Jericho and trembled.

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Speaker 4: The Gibeonites were afraid of Israel. They were great in

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Speaker 4: number and had the military leadership of Joshua. We do

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Speaker 4: not stand a chance against Israel, they said.

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Speaker 5: If they choose to storm our gates, we will be

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Speaker 5: consumed in a matter of seconds.

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Speaker 4: The elders were stirred greatly. They knew they needed to

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Speaker 4: gain the favor of the Israelites. However, they did not

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Speaker 4: want to be seen as threats, so the inhabitants of

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Speaker 4: Gibeon acted on their cunning. They wore worn out sacks

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Speaker 4: and only carried weathered supplies. They exited their villages and

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Speaker 4: post as lowly travelers. In need of safety, they ventured

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Speaker 4: to Gilgal, where the millions of Israelites were camping. They

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Speaker 4: held their heads low and groaned as they spoke. Men

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Speaker 4: of Israel, They shouted.

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Speaker 6: Please show your servants grace.

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Speaker 4: Joshua and the other warriors sprang up immediately and drew

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Speaker 4: out their swords. Not a step further, Joshua shouted, who

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Speaker 4: are you, and why have you come into our camp?

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Speaker 4: The Gibionites raised their hands in the air and bent

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Speaker 4: down in submission.

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Speaker 5: Please do not harm us. We have come from a

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Speaker 5: distant country. Please make a covenant with us so we

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Speaker 5: might dwell together in peace.

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Speaker 7: How are we supposed to know you aren't dwellers of

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Speaker 7: this land and out to kill.

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Speaker 4: Us, Joshua replied, with his sword still directed at them.

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Speaker 6: Please, we are at your service.

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Speaker 4: They said.

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Speaker 5: We are from a distant country, and we heard a

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Speaker 5: report of your god and what he did in Egypt.

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Speaker 5: So the elders of our lamb sent us to you

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Speaker 5: so that we might dwell.

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Speaker 6: With you and make a covenant with you.

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Speaker 5: If you do not believe us, just look at our supplies.

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Speaker 5: Our bread was warm when we left, but now it

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Speaker 5: is dry and crumbling. Look at how clothes they are

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Speaker 5: tattered and worn from a long journey.

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Speaker 4: Joshua turned to his commanders. They retreated for a time

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Speaker 4: to discuss what to do, but they did not inquire

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Speaker 4: of the Lord. They worked off of instinct and their

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Speaker 4: own knowledge, a mistake they would later regret. Joshua went

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Speaker 4: back and said.

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Speaker 7: We will make peace with you. Stay here, and we

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Speaker 7: will make a covenant to protect you and exchange for

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Speaker 7: your service.

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Speaker 4: So the Israelites and the Gibeonites made an unbreakable covenant.

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Speaker 4: Israel was now bound to care for and protect the

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Speaker 4: Gibeonites despite their deception. When the truth about the Gibbeanites

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Speaker 4: came to life, the people were enraged, but Joshua was confused.

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Speaker 7: Why did you deceive us like this? Before you were

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Speaker 7: your own small nation, independent and free, but now you

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Speaker 7: are servants, woodcutters and drawers of water. I sacrifice your

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Speaker 7: freedom to be.

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Speaker 5: Here because we know God has given you all of

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Speaker 5: this land to inhabit. You outnumber us one hundred to one,

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Speaker 5: and if you desired to conquer us, we would have

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Speaker 5: no chance to defend ourselves. We choose to live as

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Speaker 5: your servants rather.

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Speaker 6: Than die as your enemies.

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Speaker 5: But if you see fit to destroy us anyways, do it.

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Speaker 5: We are at your mercy.

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Speaker 4: Joshua was taken back by the gibei Knights honesty. He

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Speaker 4: sympathized with their situation. He shook his head and said.

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Speaker 7: Now we've made a covenant with you. As the Lord lives,

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Speaker 7: the people of Israel will not harm the Gibeonites. You

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Speaker 7: will be more than servants, but less than brothers. Our

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Speaker 7: people may quarrel at times, but rest assured that you

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Speaker 7: will be protected under us.

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Speaker 4: So the Gibeonites served the is Relites until they inhabited

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Speaker 4: the land. For years, they co existed in harmony, mutually

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Speaker 4: benefiting from each other, until King Saul came to the throne.

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Speaker 4: Chapter twenty nine. The heart of a King cursed. Was

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Speaker 4: the ground of Israel lighted by famine for three years.

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Speaker 4: The people were beginning to starve. King David gripped the

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Speaker 4: edge of his balcony, deep in thought regarding the soory

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Speaker 4: state of his nation. His hands shook in the cold.

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Speaker 4: He was getting old and his bones ached. He was

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Speaker 4: now over the age of sixty and not sure how

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Speaker 4: much more tragedy his old heart could handle. What shall

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Speaker 4: I do, he whispered into the cold night, Lord, why

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Speaker 4: is this happening? He sought the wisdom of God. Famines

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Speaker 4: were a common occurrence and a natural dip in the

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Speaker 4: rhythm of life. However, it was not common for a

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Speaker 4: famine to last more than two years. The reserves were run,

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Speaker 4: and David feared for God's people. So we stayed up

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Speaker 4: all night seeking God and inquiring for answers. David was

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Speaker 4: at a loss and knew the Lord was their only hope.

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Speaker 4: The frigid night air filled the King's lungs, the stars

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Speaker 4: peppered the knight sky, and David could feel the still

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Speaker 4: and quiet voice of God. Blood guilt, he whispered. The

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Speaker 4: King's eyes were shut desperately trying to listen.

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Speaker 8: There is blood guilt on soul and on his house.

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Speaker 8: That is why there is famine.

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Speaker 4: David perked up.

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Speaker 9: Who is all wrong to warrant such a famine?

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Speaker 4: How can it be made right? God spoke, saying, during.

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Speaker 8: The red of Saul, he ravaged the dwellings of the

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Speaker 8: Gibbea knights and smaltered members of the family, thus breaking

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Speaker 8: the ancient promise made between.

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Speaker 4: Them and yes her. It all made sense now, David remembered,

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Speaker 4: hearing long ago that Saul had taken the sword to

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Speaker 4: the Gibeonites, slaughtering their men and a few of their children. Saul,

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Speaker 4: in his nationalistic zeal, persecuted the gibe Kites and left

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Speaker 4: them even more poor than before. God desired justice for them.

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Speaker 4: David sighed and lifted his head to the heavens. I

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Speaker 4: will make this right. He whispered, but I do not

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Speaker 4: like what may come of it. The next morning, David

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Speaker 4: called for the leaders of the gibe Kites to visit

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Speaker 4: his home. The elders wore traditional Gibeonite clothing. He noticed

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Speaker 4: the frowns on their faces and how they wore their

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Speaker 4: sorrow for all to see. He gathered them around his table.

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Speaker 4: There they enjoyed wine and a few figs. However, there

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Speaker 4: was nothing lavish for the king to offer. The famine

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Speaker 4: had affected even him. He placed his hands on the

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Speaker 4: table inside.

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Speaker 9: Ah, my friends, he began. The memory of Saul's crimes

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Speaker 9: against you have been recently brought to the forefront of

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Speaker 9: my mind. His slaughter of your people was a hideous

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Speaker 9: break in the covenant between us. Please tell me what

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Speaker 9: I can do for you. How shall I make atonement?

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Speaker 9: How can we make things right so that you might

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Speaker 9: once again trust in the heritage of the Lord.

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Speaker 4: The elders were taken back by David's sincerity. His aged

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Speaker 4: voice was gentle and sweet. Their chief leaned over the

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Speaker 4: table and looked the king in the eyes.

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Speaker 5: There is no gold or silver that can bring back

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Speaker 5: our people, King David, he said, nor is there any

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Speaker 5: land that will satisfy the desires of our hearts.

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Speaker 4: What did David replied, in a frustrated voice. Do we

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Speaker 4: allow the people of Israel to starve? Would you rather

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Speaker 4: I just kill them now? Not at all, my king,

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Speaker 4: the Chief said.

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Speaker 5: Far be it from us to put any of your

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Speaker 5: people to death. However, there is blood that was spilled,

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Speaker 5: and blood is required.

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Speaker 4: David winced. He hated revenge. He thought it was beneath

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Speaker 4: God's people to hold grudges. However, he understood that when

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Speaker 4: a covenant is broken, blood is required to reconcile. What

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Speaker 4: shall I do for you, then, David asked calmly. The

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Speaker 4: Chief rose to his feet and said.

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Speaker 5: Saul is the one who consumed us, destroyed us, and

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Speaker 5: ensured that we had no home in Israel. He owes

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Speaker 5: us a debt.

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Speaker 4: He is dead. David replied, So who shall pay this debt?

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Speaker 5: Seven of his descendants?

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Speaker 4: He said, plainly, give us.

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Speaker 5: Seven male descendants of Saul, so that we might hang

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Speaker 5: them for their grandfather's crimes. It is the only way

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Speaker 5: we will be satisfied. We will hang them before the Lord,

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Speaker 5: and then it shall be over.

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Speaker 4: David paused for a long while. There were several descendants

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Speaker 4: of Saul still alive, mostly illegitimate children and grandchildren from concubines.

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Speaker 4: Yet they had done nothing wrong. The crime was their fathers,

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Speaker 4: not theirs. It was yet another example of the generational

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Speaker 4: turmoil caused by the sins of a father. David considered

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Speaker 4: his own sins and how his children would be forever

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Speaker 4: blighted with bloodshed because of them. The king sighed and replied,

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Speaker 4: I will give them to you. I will find Saven

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Speaker 4: who Saul's descendants, and bring them before you. The elders

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Speaker 4: bowed their heads and left. When the door closed, David

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Speaker 4: buried his face in his hands. Life was more simple

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Speaker 4: when he fled from Saul in the wilderness. There were

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Speaker 4: enemies to be vanquished and villages to be saved. He

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Speaker 4: knew who his enemies were, and they deserved to die.

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Speaker 4: Now life was more complicated as a king. No one

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Speaker 4: was merely an enemy, and no one was merely an ally.

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Speaker 4: All was blurred and confused. There was a knock at

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Speaker 4: David's door. Come in, he said in a weary voice.

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Speaker 4: Vanya entered the room and bowed. However, the king did

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Speaker 4: not turn to him. He was gazing into the fire,

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Speaker 4: watching its light slowly fade as the coals turned to ash.

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Speaker 4: Thank you for coming, Benya, David said, his face was

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Speaker 4: still facing the flickering light.

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Speaker 9: I am afraid I need to ask you to do

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Speaker 9: something for the kingdom, something that may seem cruel.

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Speaker 4: David looked down, unwilling to make eye contact. Nyah took

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Speaker 4: a deep breath and replied.

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Speaker 10: I am at your service until the very end, King David,

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Speaker 10: what would you have me do?

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Speaker 4: There was a long pause.

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Speaker 9: Find me seven remaining descendants of Saul, he commanded. I

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Speaker 9: know there are some who were born to risba is concubine.

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Speaker 9: There are others born from Merab, Saul's daughter. Find them

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Speaker 9: and give them over to the Gibeonites.

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Speaker 4: Beniah was silent. He had questions, but he also had

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Speaker 4: faith in his king.

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Speaker 10: Is there anything else?

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Speaker 9: He asked, solemnly, spammphibishe Jonathan's son. I shall not break

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Speaker 9: the covenant I made with Jonathan. Broken covenants are how

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Speaker 9: we got into this mess.

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Speaker 4: Benigah bowed and left the room. The door closed, and

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Speaker 4: David finally let the tears out. He leaned over his seat,

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Speaker 4: weeping over the fading flames. The clouds covered the morning

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Speaker 4: sun and fog rolled in from the west, slithering through

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Speaker 4: the forest leading up to the mountain. The Gibeonites marched

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Speaker 4: up the mountain with seven of SAAL's descendants behind them,

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Speaker 4: bound and rope. There were no trumpets of victory or

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Speaker 4: loud processions of praise, only a silent and ominous hike

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Speaker 4: up the mountain. They reached the summit and there stood

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Speaker 4: a tree that was darker and more foreboding than the others.

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Speaker 4: Its branches were jagged, thick, and stretched over the earth below.

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Speaker 4: No light broke through its leaves, leaving everything below covered

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Speaker 4: in darkness. The elders tied nooses around the men's necks,

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Speaker 4: then threw the ropes over the branches. The men struggled

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Speaker 4: and yelled to be free, but the Gibeonites remained silent.

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Speaker 4: The cries of the Suns of Saul dissipated into the wilderness.

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Speaker 4: No one could hear their screams, no one would come

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Speaker 4: to their aid. The nooses were secured around their necks,

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Speaker 4: and platforms were erected underneath the branches to keep the

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Speaker 4: men standing. The elders looked up at the Suns of

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Speaker 4: Saul and said blood for blood and With those words,

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Speaker 4: they removed the platforms supporting them. One by one. The

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Speaker 4: descendants wiggled and swung in place, gasping for breath, until

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Speaker 4: finally losing air. The seven descendants perished together in the shadows,

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Speaker 4: and the Gibeonite blood was avenged. It was hardly a

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00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,560
Speaker 4: victory for King David. The constant blood shed and revenge

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Speaker 4: weighed heavily on his soul. For nearly forty years he

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Speaker 4: had reigned as king, and the accumulated lives that had

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Speaker 4: been slain by him or his men were uncountable. He

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Speaker 4: understood why the Lord would not allow him to build

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Speaker 4: the temple. His hands were stained with the blood of

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Speaker 4: many enemies and even some friends. David longed for relief,

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Speaker 4: and he prayed for peace within his soul. He looked

305
00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,680
Speaker 4: out the large window of his room, overlooking the horizon.

306
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Speaker 4: The clouds were still heavy in the sky, hovering over

307
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Speaker 4: the blighted land. As the winds began to pick up

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Speaker 4: and the new rains began to fall, David strummed his

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Speaker 4: lyre and played a new tune. His voice was not

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Speaker 4: as smooth as it once was. It was soft, like

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Speaker 4: worn in leather, but still just as beautiful to the Lord.

312
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Speaker 4: You visit the earth and water, you enrich the ground below.

313
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Speaker 4: The river of God is filled with water, ready to overflow.

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Speaker 4: Your water furrows a abundantly, settling its riches. You soften

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Speaker 4: the earth with showers and bless it as it grows.

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Speaker 4: You crown the year with bounty, and your love overflows.

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Speaker 4: The pastures of your wilderness stretches forevermore. The hills gird

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Speaker 4: themselves in joy, and it is you they adore. The

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Speaker 4: meadows clothe themselves with flocks abundantly. The valleys are filled

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Speaker 4: with rain. They shout for joy and sing together for

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Speaker 4: your gracious summer rain. There was great mourning from the

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Speaker 4: family of Saul from the loss of their sons. David

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Speaker 4: could not bring them back, nor could he console the family. However,

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Speaker 4: there was one final act David could do to honor

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Speaker 4: the king and his son. He mounted his horse and

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Speaker 4: left with a few of his men. The rain continued

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Speaker 4: to pour abundantly, refreshing the scorched earth below. They had

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Speaker 4: gone long without rain, and the entire nation was outside

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Speaker 4: celebrating the faithfulness of God. David continued to ride, not

330
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Speaker 4: taking time to stop or eat. He rode from Jerusalem

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Speaker 4: to Jabishkilad. He rode through the city, ignoring the onlookers

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Speaker 4: watching him pass. Finally, he came to a small cave

333
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Speaker 4: carved out of a hill on the outskirts of the city.

334
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Speaker 4: He dismounted and approached the tomb. A stone was placed

335
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Speaker 4: in front of the cave. He and his men pushed

336
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Speaker 4: the stone away, feet sliding in the mud. David knelt

337
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Speaker 4: down and looked inside, lying in the small opening with

338
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Speaker 4: the bones of Saul and Jonathan. Their bodies had been

339
00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,199
Speaker 4: mocked by the Philistines and their corpses had hung for

340
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Speaker 4: months in the hot sun.

341
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Speaker 9: They never received a proper burial.

342
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Speaker 4: David whispered. He had his servants wrapped the bones in

343
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Speaker 4: cloth and strapped them to their horses. They rode back

344
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Speaker 4: to the land of Benjamin and prepared the ceremony. Saul, Jonathan,

345
00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,440
Speaker 4: and their seven descendants were brought to the home land

346
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Speaker 4: of Saul and buried in the tomb of Kish, his father.

347
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Speaker 4: The stormy skies opened up for a moment, allowing for

348
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Speaker 4: a brief ray of sunlight to shine down. David turned

349
00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,840
Speaker 4: his cheek to the sky. The reassuring presence of God

350
00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,520
Speaker 4: was upon him. God had responded to the faithfulness of David.

351
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Speaker 4: God was going to heal the land and would continually

352
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Speaker 4: uphold his chosen king. Peace was elusive for the Kingdom

353
00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,440
Speaker 4: of Israel. Every few years, another large nation would mount

354
00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:09,320
Speaker 4: an attack against them. David, even in his aging years,

355
00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,919
Speaker 4: was on high alert for the safety of God's people.

356
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,359
Speaker 4: In the many years since David's victory over Akish, the

357
00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:21,320
Speaker 4: Philistine nation had quietly prepared itself for another attack. David

358
00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:24,680
Speaker 4: welcomed the challenge, knowing that the Lord would provide victory.

359
00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,840
Speaker 4: He gathered his men and marched with them to face

360
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Speaker 4: the horde of uncircumcised fiends. As they marched, David could

361
00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,159
Speaker 4: feel the discomfort of age creeping up on him. His

362
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,600
Speaker 4: armor weighed heavier on his shoulders, and as steps dragged

363
00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,920
Speaker 4: more than they did in his youth. Abshid took notice

364
00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:44,200
Speaker 4: of this and made sure to stay close to the king.

365
00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:47,399
Speaker 4: They had finally made it to the place of meeting.

366
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Speaker 4: David stood in front of his army, postured opposite of

367
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Speaker 4: the Philistines a couple hundred yards away. The jagged and

368
00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,240
Speaker 4: rocky valley between them would serve as the battleground. This

369
00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,879
Speaker 4: was David's sacred space. This is where he truly felt

370
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Speaker 4: like the King of Israel. David unsheathed his sword and

371
00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,600
Speaker 4: pointed it at the enemy. His hands shook as he

372
00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:09,399
Speaker 4: held up the sword.

373
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Speaker 9: These Philistines have been a plague to our people for generations.

374
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Speaker 9: Let us remind them that we are a people protected

375
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Speaker 9: and empowered by the God of all creation.

376
00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,360
Speaker 4: The army yelled behind him, fueled by their king's passion.

377
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Speaker 4: The Philistines roared on the other side, banging on their

378
00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,800
Speaker 4: shields and swung to the beat of a drum. David

379
00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:37,080
Speaker 4: knew this rich woman. He recognized it from years ago

380
00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,359
Speaker 4: when he was just a boy. The hordes scoffed and

381
00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:45,520
Speaker 4: spat in Israel's direction. Then the army parted to make room.

382
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Speaker 4: From the middle of the Philistine ranks immerged a giant

383
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,119
Speaker 4: ish by Beanop. He was the infamous descendant of the

384
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Speaker 4: Giants of Old, a remnant of Goliath's tribe. Flashbacks of

385
00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:02,800
Speaker 4: Goliath rushed in David's mind, his massive frame, his thundering roar,

386
00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:06,840
Speaker 4: in his look of complete hatred. His spear weighed three

387
00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,919
Speaker 4: hundred sheckles and bronze and hung on his back. His

388
00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,639
Speaker 4: armor was hewn from the fires of gaff, made of

389
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,240
Speaker 4: steeled and refined bronze. His sword was the size of

390
00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:19,560
Speaker 4: a man's abdomen and hung securely on his belt, ready

391
00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:23,520
Speaker 4: to be used at any moment. David's heart began to

392
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Speaker 4: pound heavily.

393
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Speaker 9: I will remind them of my name, giant slayer.

394
00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,480
Speaker 4: He whispered to himself. His sword was still held up

395
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,760
Speaker 4: his hand trembling in place. David turned to his men

396
00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:38,640
Speaker 4: and said.

397
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Speaker 9: With the glory of our God and the love of

398
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Speaker 9: our nation.

399
00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,960
Speaker 4: And as he yelled this, the king burst forward with

400
00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,359
Speaker 4: all his might. The old king ran towards the enemy,

401
00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,520
Speaker 4: without regard to who was behind him. The children of

402
00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,639
Speaker 4: Israel followed and quickly caught up to him. Word the

403
00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 4: two armies clashed against one another. Blood poured out onto

404
00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,280
Speaker 4: the jagged rocks below, and the screams of young men

405
00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:04,840
Speaker 4: could be heard from the voice. David was thrilled to

406
00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,640
Speaker 4: be back in battle. Although his body ach two philistines

407
00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,479
Speaker 4: kin at him, but David toppled them with two swift

408
00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,359
Speaker 4: steps of his blade. Three more philistines approached, and David

409
00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,119
Speaker 4: fought them tooth and nail, slowly gaining the advantage with

410
00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,480
Speaker 4: his superior swordsmanship. He kept his foundation low and slashed

411
00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:26,240
Speaker 4: their legs while keeping his shield over him. Then, like

412
00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,840
Speaker 4: a bolt of lightning, striking from above, David was hit

413
00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:32,720
Speaker 4: and thrown in the air. He landed on his back

414
00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,800
Speaker 4: and the air flew out of his lungs. David gasped

415
00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,760
Speaker 4: and tried to regain his composure. He looked up and

416
00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,800
Speaker 4: tried to focus. His vision was blurry, but he could

417
00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:48,280
Speaker 4: make out the massive frame of Ishbay beinop running towards him.

418
00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:51,840
Speaker 4: The giant yelled as he ran forward. He launched his

419
00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,320
Speaker 4: spear at David. He ducked, but the spear grazed his

420
00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,320
Speaker 4: shoulder and tore his armor. He screamed in pain, but

421
00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:00,840
Speaker 4: had no time to tend to it. The giant was

422
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,080
Speaker 4: close to striking. David held up his shield just in

423
00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:07,240
Speaker 4: time to block east by being out's first glow. He

424
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:10,040
Speaker 4: felt his elbowed crack under the pressure, and his arm

425
00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,640
Speaker 4: gave out. David screamed and slashed at the giant's ankles,

426
00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,080
Speaker 4: but he was quickly met with a kick to the side.

427
00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:19,600
Speaker 4: The king was sent flying through the air again, landing

428
00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:24,159
Speaker 4: in a pile of rocks. The giant was filled with

429
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,480
Speaker 4: bloodthirsty rage. He roared like a ravenous lion and leapt

430
00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,560
Speaker 4: forward as David again. This time, David jumped forward and

431
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,400
Speaker 4: deflected the giant's sword. He parried the next attack, attempting

432
00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,680
Speaker 4: to slash the giant in his dennet. However, every time

433
00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,960
Speaker 4: David attacked from weaker in the earth, his head became

434
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,119
Speaker 4: heavy with lack of oxygen and his entire body burned

435
00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,359
Speaker 4: from the afrom the giant swung down with his sword

436
00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,760
Speaker 4: and David blocked it again with a shield. He stumbled

437
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,040
Speaker 4: onto the ground and lifted a shield again to block

438
00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:59,720
Speaker 4: another strike. The giant was like a hand swinging down,

439
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,840
Speaker 4: car in something on David's broken body. This is the it,

440
00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:08,080
Speaker 4: David thought to himself, this is where I fall. The

441
00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,080
Speaker 4: giant swung his sword to the side and David's shield

442
00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,240
Speaker 4: was knocked on his arm, but David would not give up.

443
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,000
Speaker 4: He threw his body at the giant, trying to knock

444
00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,639
Speaker 4: him down, but the giant grabbed hold of his throat

445
00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,320
Speaker 4: and began to squeeze. David felt a life slowly leaving

446
00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,679
Speaker 4: his body. He didn't have the strength to straggle, his

447
00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,920
Speaker 4: body hung limp as the giant clapped down on his throat.

448
00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,320
Speaker 4: Is by Bina brought his sword in close and placed

449
00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,240
Speaker 4: the tip on David's armor. I'm going to kill you, though,

450
00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,639
Speaker 4: giant slayer, he said, your.

451
00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,800
Speaker 6: Name will forever be hated by this.

452
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,040
Speaker 4: By Bina popped his shoulder back to drive the sword

453
00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:53,479
Speaker 4: into David, but his movement was interrupted by a swift

454
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:59,280
Speaker 4: slash to the catsh by Bino's should. He dropped David

455
00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:02,399
Speaker 4: to the ground and turned around. As his head turned,

456
00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,920
Speaker 4: Abishid delivered a punch to the jar, knocking the giant down.

457
00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,560
Speaker 4: Ish By Banam stood up and left at abershot, and

458
00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,800
Speaker 4: the two thought among the sharp rocks. David crawled out

459
00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:17,200
Speaker 4: of the way, watching his young commander fight to protect him.

460
00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:20,120
Speaker 4: Abishi still had the flame of youth burning within him.

461
00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,000
Speaker 4: He ferociously stepped forward, keeping the giant on his heels.

462
00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,679
Speaker 4: His sword would swipe and his shield would strike continually,

463
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,000
Speaker 4: keeping the giant backing away. He backed near a pile

464
00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:34,760
Speaker 4: of large stones stacked higher than the giant's head. Ishbah

465
00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:38,320
Speaker 4: Binab was frustrated and threw his sword downward at Abshot.

466
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,080
Speaker 4: He dodged it, leapt onto one of the stones, then

467
00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,000
Speaker 4: launched off it to strike the giant from above. His

468
00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:48,760
Speaker 4: sword drove downward through the giant's shoulder and into his heart.

469
00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,120
Speaker 4: Abishi fell with the giant onto the ground and rolled away.

470
00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,040
Speaker 4: He stood up, embraced himself for another strike. That the

471
00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:01,040
Speaker 4: giant lay lifeless in the dirt. Abersha immediately took his

472
00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,120
Speaker 4: sword out of the giant and ran back to David.

473
00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,760
Speaker 4: Are you all right, by king, he shouted. David shook

474
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,920
Speaker 4: his head and winced in pain. Ah, I am not sure.

475
00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,600
Speaker 4: David tried to get up, but his body was too exhausted.

476
00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,760
Speaker 4: Abishi lifted him up onto his shoulders and ran for safety.

477
00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,280
Speaker 4: He finally laid him down behind a few stones, and

478
00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:24,280
Speaker 4: the two of them watched Joe, ab and the others

479
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 4: overwhelm the Philistines. The army of Israel had once again

480
00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,000
Speaker 4: been saved by the faithfulness of the Lord. David steadied

481
00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:38,440
Speaker 4: his breathing and propped himself up. Thank you, Abishai, he whispered.

482
00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,560
Speaker 4: Abishi turned to him and smiled, you.

483
00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:45,760
Speaker 6: Shall no longer go out with us into battle. If

484
00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:49,480
Speaker 6: you die, the flame of Israel will be snuffed out.

485
00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,440
Speaker 4: David nodded in agreement. He was unable to finish his

486
00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,800
Speaker 4: final war. The young men trained up by him would

487
00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,040
Speaker 4: go on to slay their own giants. David was no

488
00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,600
Speaker 4: longer a warrior, the thought echoed in his mind.

489
00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,680
Speaker 9: If I did not have the thrill of battle or

490
00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:11,360
Speaker 9: the ministry of the sword, what do I have?

491
00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,480
Speaker 4: He limped onto his balcony, still feeling the lingering pain

492
00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,760
Speaker 4: of his near death experience against ishbay beinab. He held

493
00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,440
Speaker 4: his ribs and winced. He looked out onto the great

494
00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,440
Speaker 4: city of Jerusalem, the city of David. Perhaps one of

495
00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:32,600
Speaker 4: his greatest victories was claiming this city. He breathed in

496
00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:36,440
Speaker 4: deeply and considered his legacy. If he was not a warrior,

497
00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:38,720
Speaker 4: then how was he to measure himself as a king?

498
00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,320
Speaker 4: The enemy began to creep into his mind and whisper

499
00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,840
Speaker 4: words of insecurity. David felt the temptation many kings felt,

500
00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,560
Speaker 4: the temptation to be known as great. If he could

501
00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,840
Speaker 4: not measure his greatness through conquest or battle, he wanted

502
00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:57,040
Speaker 4: to measure it by the people who dwelled within his nation.

503
00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,880
Speaker 4: It was out of this misplaced identity that David had

504
00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:04,880
Speaker 4: the idea for a census. A census was clearly forbidden

505
00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,840
Speaker 4: in the law of Moses, especially without some sort of ransom.

506
00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:12,600
Speaker 4: If David counted the people, he would be expressing ownership

507
00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:16,440
Speaker 4: over them. Moses warned that plagues and pestilence could be

508
00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:19,760
Speaker 4: sent as a result, and as David knew, they were

509
00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:23,440
Speaker 4: not ultimately his people anyways, they were the lords. Yet

510
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,680
Speaker 4: the king still had within him a burning desire to

511
00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:29,800
Speaker 4: be validated as king. He wanted to measure his greatness,

512
00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:33,440
Speaker 4: so he sent for Joab, the old and grizzled commander

513
00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,480
Speaker 4: of Israel. Stepped into the presence of the king. David

514
00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,200
Speaker 4: propped himself up and said.

515
00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:42,480
Speaker 9: Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,

516
00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,800
Speaker 9: and number the people. I desire to know how my

517
00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:51,000
Speaker 9: country has grown, and how many able men have been

518
00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:54,680
Speaker 9: added to our ranks. I want the world to know

519
00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:56,440
Speaker 9: how large we are.

520
00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,320
Speaker 4: Joab tilted his head to the side and peered at

521
00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,880
Speaker 4: the king. He cleared his throat and spoke softly, saying.

522
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,240
Speaker 10: My King, it is my prayer that God adds to

523
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,680
Speaker 10: the people a hundred times as many as there are now,

524
00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,400
Speaker 10: and I pray you live long enough to see this

525
00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,840
Speaker 10: country multiply beyond all imagination.

526
00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:18,800
Speaker 4: Joe Ab paused and contemplated how to ask his question.

527
00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,120
Speaker 10: Why would this delight you? Are you not content with

528
00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:24,360
Speaker 10: what the Lord has provided?

529
00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:28,880
Speaker 4: Thus for the King shrugged off Joab's question, I am king, Joeab,

530
00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:32,840
Speaker 4: I desire to know how many men I am commanding.

531
00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:36,560
Speaker 4: Joab did not protest again. He bowed his head and

532
00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,480
Speaker 4: left the room. He gathered the commanders of the Lord's

533
00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:43,760
Speaker 4: armies and sent them far across the country. They crossed

534
00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:46,560
Speaker 4: the Jordan to a Roar, from a Rower to Gad,

535
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:51,040
Speaker 4: from Gad to Yazir, from Yazir to Gilead, and from

536
00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:55,160
Speaker 4: Gilead to Kadesh. They crossed the entire country, passing through

537
00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:59,200
Speaker 4: all the tribes, villages, and cities. Not one able bodied

538
00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,600
Speaker 4: man was left on counted. Joab finally returned to the

539
00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,320
Speaker 4: King and gave him the count of eight hundred thousand

540
00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,840
Speaker 4: valiant men from Israel and five hundred thousand from Judah.

541
00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:12,720
Speaker 4: The word pleased the king. However, the act of insecurity

542
00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:16,200
Speaker 4: and blatant disobedience did not go unnoticed by the Lord.

543
00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:21,600
Speaker 4: A reckoning would be required of him. One morning, David

544
00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:24,520
Speaker 4: perused the law of the Lord. He meditated on its

545
00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,680
Speaker 4: statutes and took in its commands. However, he was cut

546
00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,760
Speaker 4: to the heart when he stumbled upon a word from

547
00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:31,960
Speaker 4: Moses saying.

548
00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,720
Speaker 5: When you take the census of the children of Israel

549
00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,840
Speaker 5: for their number, then every man shall give a ransom

550
00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,719
Speaker 5: for himself to the Lord when you number them, that

551
00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,560
Speaker 5: there may be no plague among them when you number them.

552
00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:47,560
Speaker 4: The King's heart began to pound heavily. He realized the

553
00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:50,440
Speaker 4: sin he had committed, and he was struck with conviction.

554
00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,760
Speaker 4: David knelt before the Lord and said, I have sinned greatly.

555
00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:57,800
Speaker 4: Oh Lord, please.

556
00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:04,520
Speaker 9: Take away my iniquity, for I have acted foolishly.

557
00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:09,319
Speaker 4: David's prayer, as honest as it was, did not blot

558
00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:13,200
Speaker 4: out the consequences stored up for him. Early the next morning,

559
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,920
Speaker 4: David walked among the garden, still reeling over his failure.

560
00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:21,400
Speaker 4: His anxious thoughts kept him from enjoying the newly bloomed

561
00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:26,120
Speaker 4: flowers and freshly grown saplings. He walked the gardens distracted

562
00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,279
Speaker 4: and consumed with his own guilt, until finally, passing by

563
00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,919
Speaker 4: the olive trees. Underneath a tree stood the prophet Gad.

564
00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,640
Speaker 4: He was an old man, more wrinkled and weathered than David.

565
00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:40,840
Speaker 4: The king knew that his presence did not signal good fortune.

566
00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:44,279
Speaker 4: Gad had brought a word from the Lord. David was

567
00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,520
Speaker 4: silent as he approached him. He knelt down before him

568
00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,840
Speaker 4: and awaited the word from the Lord. Gad placed a

569
00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:52,640
Speaker 4: hand on his shoulder and said.

570
00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:58,200
Speaker 6: Thus says the Lord, three things I offer you as penance.

571
00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,600
Speaker 6: Choose one of them that I may act.

572
00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:05,799
Speaker 4: God held out three fingers and said.

573
00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:13,640
Speaker 6: One, three years of famine shall blight the land. Two

574
00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,200
Speaker 6: you will flee for three months while your enemies pursue you.

575
00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:25,480
Speaker 6: And three there shall be three days pestilence in the land.

576
00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:28,320
Speaker 4: Gad paused and looked down at David.

577
00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:32,400
Speaker 6: Consider which you shall choose.

578
00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:36,680
Speaker 4: David's heart sank as he considered his options. He shook

579
00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:39,000
Speaker 4: his head in shame and lifted his hands to heaven.

580
00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:44,080
Speaker 9: This is too much for my heart to bear. Let

581
00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:47,360
Speaker 9: the Lord do as he wills, for I know his

582
00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:55,680
Speaker 9: mercy endures forever. However I asked this, did I not

583
00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:59,680
Speaker 9: fall by the sword or by the hands of men?

584
00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,719
Speaker 4: And so it was by David's word the Lord sent

585
00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:07,560
Speaker 4: to pestilence on Israel. The next morning, sickness and death

586
00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,560
Speaker 4: scoured the earth like a flood. The great nation that

587
00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,799
Speaker 4: the King basted over was diminished by seventy thousand in

588
00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:17,720
Speaker 4: just a matter of three days. David regretted ever counting

589
00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:21,360
Speaker 4: the people. They were not his, they were the Lord's,

590
00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,880
Speaker 4: and this was a gross reminder of that. On the

591
00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:28,320
Speaker 4: third day, David opened his arms to heaven and yelled

592
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:29,040
Speaker 4: to God.

593
00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:33,719
Speaker 11: Behold, I have sinned. Look at me and my iniquity.

594
00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:38,800
Speaker 11: I have done wickedly in your sight. But these poor sheep,

595
00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:44,279
Speaker 11: what have they done? They are innocent. Please, Lord, put

596
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:49,319
Speaker 11: your hand against me. Instead, kill me and wipe out

597
00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:51,720
Speaker 11: my household. Leave the people alone.

598
00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:54,440
Speaker 4: David built an altar for the Lord and made a

599
00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:58,160
Speaker 4: sacrifice for the sins he committed against the Lord. He

600
00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:01,240
Speaker 4: prayed and sought the heart of the Lord. David embraced

601
00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:04,719
Speaker 4: the struggle in his relationship with God. He leaned into

602
00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:07,880
Speaker 4: the difficulty and engaged in the darker parts of his heart.

603
00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:12,640
Speaker 4: Although he stumbled, sinned, and fell continually, he continued to

604
00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:16,319
Speaker 4: repent even in his old age. He never dug his

605
00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:19,800
Speaker 4: heels deeper into his own pride. He lifted his voice

606
00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:24,360
Speaker 4: in repentance. He made his sacrifice, and he continued in faith.

607
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:28,440
Speaker 4: This was the heart that God saw in the small

608
00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:32,360
Speaker 4: shepherd boy so long ago, a heart that was after

609
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,680
Speaker 4: the heart of the Lord, a heart of a king.

610
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,560
Speaker 3: Something David has not had to deal with yet is famines, hunger,

611
00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:44,200
Speaker 3: and poverty. He has been a man of war for

612
00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:47,520
Speaker 3: so long that the other aspects of governance have not

613
00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:50,680
Speaker 3: been on the forefront of his mind. That we know

614
00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:53,720
Speaker 3: of the length of his famine comes as a surprise

615
00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,480
Speaker 3: to David, and since he is attuned to the voice

616
00:37:56,520 --> 00:38:00,680
Speaker 3: of God, he receives insight. God is withholding his blessing.

617
00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:04,080
Speaker 3: Since there is still unpaid debt for what Saul did

618
00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:07,080
Speaker 3: to the Gibeonites, it is up to David to correct

619
00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:11,200
Speaker 3: the mistakes made by his predecessor. This is an important

620
00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:14,480
Speaker 3: thing to consider. The consequences of our sin do not

621
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:17,960
Speaker 3: disappear when we die. What we have done can sometimes

622
00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:22,000
Speaker 3: live beyond us and affect the next generation. Saul's mistake

623
00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:26,200
Speaker 3: caused suffering for Israel decades after his death. David, who

624
00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:30,520
Speaker 3: is getting older, needs to consider this seriously. His decisions

625
00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:34,000
Speaker 3: will affect his son Solomon, and Solomon's decisions will affect

626
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:37,200
Speaker 3: his son rare born. The success of our children can

627
00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:40,239
Speaker 3: be undermined by our poor decisions. So we are to

628
00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:44,000
Speaker 3: seriously consider what we are passing down as a heritage.

629
00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:48,040
Speaker 3: David does what he needs to do. When covenants are broken,

630
00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:51,799
Speaker 3: blood is required. This is why sacrifices were made for

631
00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:54,880
Speaker 3: the people's sins, and while the blood of Jesus covers

632
00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:58,480
Speaker 3: our sin. When a promise, may be for God or

633
00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:02,640
Speaker 3: to God is severed, it must be taken seriously. David

634
00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,440
Speaker 3: doesn't take any pleasure in giving up the descendants of Saul,

635
00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:09,080
Speaker 3: but he does so because being the king requires sacrifice.

636
00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:12,560
Speaker 3: David is someone with firm convictions and a black and

637
00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:15,880
Speaker 3: white view of righteousness, and it must be exhausting for

638
00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:19,320
Speaker 3: him to constantly live in this gray area between what's

639
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,080
Speaker 3: right and what's wrong. David pined, after the simpler times

640
00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:26,000
Speaker 3: in the wilderness, there were enemies to be vanquished and

641
00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:29,040
Speaker 3: villages to be saved. He knew who his enemies were,

642
00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:33,080
Speaker 3: and they deserved to die. Now life was more complicated

643
00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:36,640
Speaker 3: as a king. No one was merely an enemy, and

644
00:39:36,719 --> 00:39:40,640
Speaker 3: no one was merely an ally. All were blurred and confused.

645
00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:44,040
Speaker 3: This is a sad reality that comes with the complex

646
00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:47,400
Speaker 3: life of a king. Life becomes less black and white,

647
00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:52,200
Speaker 3: and David is tired with the nuance. David was a

648
00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:54,319
Speaker 3: man of war, and a man of war can have

649
00:39:54,400 --> 00:39:57,799
Speaker 3: trouble when he isn't certain who the enemy is. The

650
00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:01,840
Speaker 3: battlefield was less nuance. The enemy is on one side

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00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,719
Speaker 3: and you are on the other. David drew a lot

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00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,080
Speaker 3: of comfort from the fact that he knew who the

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00:40:07,239 --> 00:40:11,600
Speaker 3: enemy was. In this episode, the enemy was another giant,

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00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:16,400
Speaker 3: ish Banab. His features resembled Goliath, calling us back to

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00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:20,520
Speaker 3: episode six, when David was just a shepherd. The presence

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00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:24,120
Speaker 3: of another giant is purposefully placed in this story. The

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00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:27,520
Speaker 3: age David is face to face with the same foe

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00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:31,239
Speaker 3: that thrust him into prominence. Being the giant slayer is

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00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:34,400
Speaker 3: what made him great, and if he can still defeat

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00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:37,840
Speaker 3: a giant in battle, that means David can still be great.

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00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:41,600
Speaker 3: The battle initially goes well, but it becomes a parent

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00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:45,719
Speaker 3: that David is outmatched against ish b Banab. He is

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00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:49,960
Speaker 3: nearly killed, but Abaisha comes to the rescue. Abisha is

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00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,359
Speaker 3: now a giant slayer and David has a hard time

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00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:55,719
Speaker 3: coming to terms with his defeat. We all deal with

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00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:59,080
Speaker 3: crisis of identity in different ways. Some people change the

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00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:02,200
Speaker 3: way they dress, look for a new job. Some people

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00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:07,000
Speaker 3: take radical measures like move cities in relationships or change names.

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00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:10,759
Speaker 3: David is going through his own identity crisis. He is

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00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,879
Speaker 3: wrestling with his legacy and what he will be known for.

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00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:17,879
Speaker 3: If he is no longer the Giant Slayer, then who

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00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:21,160
Speaker 3: is he. This would have been a perfect time for

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00:41:21,239 --> 00:41:25,160
Speaker 3: David to seek God and be reassured of his calling. However,

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00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:29,160
Speaker 3: David looks elsewhere for validation. He disobeys the law of

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Speaker 3: Moses and an acts a census. You may be wondering

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00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,520
Speaker 3: why that was so wrong. Well, to have a census

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00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:39,680
Speaker 3: back then was to declare ownership over the people, and

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00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:43,520
Speaker 3: they were not David's to own. But David desperately wanted

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00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,279
Speaker 3: to measure his greatness based on how many people were

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00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:49,560
Speaker 3: in his kingdom. The people of Israel are punished, and

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00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:53,200
Speaker 3: David begs the Lord to punish him. Instead, he reveals

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00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:54,800
Speaker 3: the true heart of a king at the end of

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00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:59,400
Speaker 3: the episode, repented before God and accepting responsibility for his mistakes.

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00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:02,319
Speaker 3: The end of the episode is a beautiful homage to

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00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:06,840
Speaker 3: David's relationship with God. It says David embraced the struggle

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00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:10,080
Speaker 3: in his relationship with God. He leaned into the difficulty

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00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:13,920
Speaker 3: and engaged in the darker parts of his heart. Although

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00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:18,320
Speaker 3: he stumbled, sinned, and fell continually, he continued to repent.

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Speaker 3: Even in his old age. He never dug his heels

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00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:24,600
Speaker 3: deeper into his own pride. As we age, we can

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00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:28,680
Speaker 3: become more set in our ways, immovable in our opinions

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00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:32,239
Speaker 3: and habits. David was a wonderful example of someone who

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00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:35,440
Speaker 3: grew softer and more correctible as he reached the end

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Speaker 3: of his life. May we all be so faithful to

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00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:43,319
Speaker 3: end even more humbly than we began. In our next episode,

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00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:46,640
Speaker 3: the end finally comes for David, and we end our

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00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:49,279
Speaker 3: series with a glimmer of hope. But that hope is

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00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:52,680
Speaker 3: not in whoever succeeds David is king. We know better

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00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:55,560
Speaker 3: by now. The hope we find is in the promised

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00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:59,719
Speaker 3: successor to David's throne. Only this descendant will exchange his

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00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:02,920
Speaker 3: throat for a cross. Join us next time for our

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00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:07,360
Speaker 3: final episode, The Death of a Hero. For more inspiring stories,

703
00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:11,040
Speaker 3: daily prayers and wisdom to last the lifetime, go to

704
00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:14,120
Speaker 3: pray dot com and to expand your heroes in the

705
00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:18,239
Speaker 3: Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at

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00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:22,719
Speaker 3: Tonyevans dot org forward slash heroes. Follow the podcast on

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00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:26,719
Speaker 3: Apple or Spotify to get the newest episodes right as

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00:43:26,760 --> 00:43:30,200
Speaker 3: they come out, and always be inspired by the Bible.

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Speaker 3: God bless