4. Time of     40  the Kings          
a) The first prophets teach that God       41
is Love and Fidelity

Prophecy will develop in Israel from the time of David onwards. Prophets affirm that God is Love and Fidelity, especially in Deuteronomy.

Love and Fidelity refrain of Psalm 89: verses 2, 3, 15, 25, 29, 34, 50; Dt 7:9; 2 S 2:6.

Love (or Gift , or grace) of God for Israel. God chooses Israel who does not deserve it (Dt 7:7; 9:5; 10:15); and gives her the land (the land of Canaan) as inheritance: Dt 4:1; 4:38; 6:10. God makes the Israelites His children: Dt 32:5-6; Hos 11:1; Is 1:2.

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If Israel fails God, He will take away their prosperity and their land: Dt 4:24-31; 28:15-68. But the ever-faithful God will convert Israel after punishing her: Dt 30:1-10. A remnant of Israel will be saved: see 1 K 19:18 and 60-67. Israel’s destiny: chosen, punished and renewed: Dt 32. Then I will love them: Hos 14:5.

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Love (or Gift) of God for David. He gives him the Kingdom and makes him His own: 2 S 7:12-16. In Israel, only kings were considered as God’s children: 2 S 7:14; Ps 89:27; Ps 2:7. Because of His love for David, as ruler God looks after his descendants: 1 K 8:25; 11:34.

Because of their sins, they deserve to be rejected by God: Jer 22:24. But God, being merciful and faithful, will again establish a descendant of David as ruler (see 60-67).

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Fidelity or Truth: it is the same word in Hebrew and it is similar to amen which means: it is so! (2 Cor 1:18-20). Every word of God is faithful and it will be fulfilled: 1 K 8:26; Ne 9:33. God’s faithfulness to Israel cannot be denied: Rom 11:28; 15:8.

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In Politics, king must respect the demands of the Covenant (Dt 17:16-20; 1 K 13; 2 K 9:6-10). While priests condemn disobeying the Law of God (2 Chr 26:16), prophets focus on all that betrays the spirit of the Covenant: 2 Chr 20:36; 25:15.