Chapter Five: The sword promised to “Allah’s Messenger”: Section II

By Debi Brand

 

Khalid Masood, no Muslim, mere Muslim, or one among “those who believe”?

Chapter Five

The sword promised to “Allah’s Messenger”

Section II

 

In Section 1 of this chapter, we witnessed, as it were, Joshua and the children of Israel seize a sizeable swath of the land that God had promised would be theirs as an inheritance. They did so, as shown, with the edge of their swords. With blanket, as it were, extermination of that then populace. That is how those inhabitants were “driven out” of that land — by death, by massacre, by the edge of the unsheathed “sword of the Lord.” As stated, that sword wielded by the hands of the sons of Jacob.

Then, as noted, for a while, the children of Israel, and the land, rested from war.

As time passed, Joshua grew old, and in due time, he too passed on. When he did so, the Hebrew Scripture tell us, there yet remained for the children of Israel, “still many nations to be conquered.” (Joshua : 13: 1 – 2, LBP.)

Thus, before Joshua breathed his final breath and passed on, he gathered all the leaders of Israel to himself. All “the elders, judges, and officers.” And he told them, concerning the land yet to be conquered by them, “the Lord your God will drive out all the people living there now, and you will live there instead, just as he has promised you.” (Ibid, 23: 5.)

And he warned them, if they were to know such victories, they must “be very sure to follow all the instructions in the book of the laws of Moses.” He warned them, “do not deviate from them the least little bit.” He warned, “be sure that you do not mix with the heathen people still remaining in the land,” he further warned them not to even mention the names of their gods. And, “much less swear by them or worship them.” (Ibid, 23: 6 -7.)

He admonished them rather to “follow the Lord your God just as you have until now.” In other words, when you go into a new area, take it just as all the land you now possess was taken – you know how.

He reminded them, that the Lord had “driven out great, strong nations” that came out against Israel. Their strength, their greatness notwithstanding, not a one of them was able to stand against much less defeat the Israeli army. To keep them from seizing the land God promised would be theirs. Because, Joshua reminded them, “the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised.” (23: 8 – 10.)

“So be very careful,” he warned them, “to keep on loving him.” Be very careful, to keep on fully obeying him. Keep on doing, as stated, just as you did under my leadership. Because if you do not, he warned, then soon, instead of exterminating the inhabitants of the land there, you will spare them. Letting them live, soon, you will be living among them. Then soon, living among them, you will be marrying them. And once you do so, once “you begin to intermarry with the nations around you, then know for certainty,” then, “no longer” will God expel “those nations from your land.” (23: 12 – 13.) “Instead, they will be a snare and a trap to you, a pain in your side and a thorn in your eyes.” And then you will be the ones God will drive out of the land. You will be the ones, he will destroy.

He warned them, if they failed to do just as they had done under his leadership, under Moses’; then, just as sure as when they obeyed, they knew he would rain down, as it were, good upon them; with that same certainty, they should know, if they failed to fully obey, then indeed, God would bring down evil upon them. Moreover, Joshua told them, know with certainty, “if you worship other gods he will completely wipe you out from this good land which the Lord has given you.” He will do so as his wrath and fury is “kindled against you.” (23: 15 – 16; KJV.) And then you will be the ones who, by his hand, “will quickly perish.” (Ibid, LBP.)

So all Israel swore, they would fully follow the Lord. Continue in the land they had yet to conquer, doing just as they had to the former inhabitants of the land they now possessed.

Thus, Joshua, in peace, went “the way of all the earth.” (KJV, 23: 14.)

And the Joshua chronicle provides, as long as there were men still alive who had served under Joshua’s command, “witnessed the amazing deeds which the Lord had done for Israel,” then, true to their words, “Israel obeyed the Lord.” (24: 31, LBP.)

Therefore, the record relates, “after Joshua died,” at the instruction of the Lord, Israel again set out to conquer more of their promised land. “And the Lord helped them defeat the Canaanites and Perizzites, so that ten thousand of the enemy were slain at Bezek.” (Book of Judges 1: 1 – 6, Ibid.)

So for a good while, the stories of the “sword of the Lord” in the hands of the Israelis continued to tell the same stories told when the hand of Joshua was one among those who wielded that sword. Thus, we read, “They fought the Canaanites at the city of Zephath and massacred all its people.” “They attacked the city of Bethel …. And they massacred the entire population” except for one man and his family, because that man had shown them a secret passageway into the city. (Ibid, 1: 18, 22 – 25 respectively.)

But all too soon, new leaders rose among them. Men who had not served under Joshua. Those who lacked the first hand witness of having seen all the mighty works the Lord had done for Israel, when they were under the leadership of Moses, and then, of Joshua. Moreover, as the record provides, men who “did not care about the mighty miracles he [Jehovah God] had done for Israel.” (Judges 2: 10.) Very likely, men who doubted the truthfulness of those accounts. Thus, most certainly, men who doubted the rightness in, the legitimacy of, their exterminating of all of the people they encountered as they went in to possess the land promised to them via their forefathers.

Thus, sure enough, just as Joshua, Moses, and the Lord had warned them against, if they failed to fully obey God, once they began to “fail to exterminate” the inhabitants of the land they seized, then, all too soon, they would intermarry with them, learn their ways, and soon serve their gods. And that is precisely what happened. (Ibid, 1:21.)

“They abandoned Jehovah, the God loved and worshipped by their ancestors — the God who had brought them out of Egypt.” Instead of solely worshipping him – as he had commanded them to do – Israel was “worshipping and bowing low before the idols of the neighboring nations.” Therefore, just as God had promised them with certainty, “the anger of the Lord flamed out against all Israel.” And in his fury, “He left them to the mercy of their enemies, for they had departed from Jehovah and were worshipping Baal and the Ashtaroth idols.” (Ibid, 2: 12 – 14.)

Time thus passed. The Lord, in pity for the terrible sad plight of his elect, he would raise up judges for, and send prophets to, his people. Thereby trying, as it were, to steer them right. So that he could help his elect against their enemies. Yet still, for the most part, “Israel would not listen … broke faith with Jehovah,” worshipped other gods than he. (2: 17.) “Stubbornly returned to the evil customs of the nations around them.” (2: 19.)

Soon they begged to be like those other nations – they begged to have their own king. So God gave them just that.

In due time, kings came and went from that throne. Some good, some downright evil. The people tended to follow the leadership of their leader – righteous kings led the people of Israel in righteousness; evil kings led them to commit evil deeds.

One king worth mentioning among the former is King Asa. At least for a good part of his reign, “he was careful to obey the Lord his God.” (Second Book of Chronicles 14:2, LBP.) By the time he came to kingship, the nation of Israel had split into two kingdoms; one, the kingdom of Judah, made up of two tribes [Benjamin and Judah]; the other, the kingdom of Israel, comprised of the remaining ten tribes of Israel. King Asa was King of Judah.

Thus, the record relates, as he carefully obeyed the command of the Lord his God, as he led the Judean and the Benjaminite armies in battle, they placed their trust and their expectation for victory in “the Lord our God.” Thus, they declared, “in your name we attack.” And that they did, mirroring the end results the sword of the Lord in the hands of Joshua and his command produced – example: the Ethiopian Army they met and fought in the valley of Zephathah – “They chased them as far as Gerar,” they “wiped out” that entire army, “not one man remained.” “For the Lord,” reads the record, “and his army,” with his sword, “destroyed them all.” (Ibid, 14: 8 – 13.)

And since they were right there already at Gerar, “ While there … they attacked all the cities in that area.” “They smote all the cities round about Gerar.” “And terror from the Lord came upon the residents” thereof. (14: 14, LBP, KJV, LBP in that order.) Such were the stories, time and again, the sons of Jacob produced, when they fully obeyed the Lord God of Israel.

So too, these additional acts that Asa took during his reign: “he took courage and destroyed all the idols in the land of Judah and Benjamin, and in the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim, and he rebuilt the altar of the Lord in front of the Temple.” (Second Book of Chronicles 15:8, LBP.)

What’s more, he summoned all in the kingdom to come to Jerusalem. There, to offer the sacrifices as Moses had commanded they were to do. And there, “they entered into a contract to worship only the Lord God of their fathers, and agreed that anyone who refused to do this must die – whether old or young, man or woman.” And their dedication thereto pleased the Lord. So “he gave them peace throughout the nation.” (Ibid, 15: 8 – 15.)

In due time, “ Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.” (16:13, KJV.)

But, “over in Israel the idol temples were not removed.” (Ibid, 15: 17.)

What’s more, over in Israel, under the reign of King Jeroboam, all “the priest and the Levites” had been “fired.” Instructed, by their king, to “stop being priest to the Lord.” “Fired,” by their king, “for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest office unto the Lord.” (II Chronicles 11: 13, KJV; 11: 14, LBP, KJV in that order. )

Over in Israel, thus, Jeroboam, “he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.” (Ibid, 11:15, KJV.) And those appointed priest, they “encouraged the people to worship idols instead of God, and to sacrifice to carved statues of goats and calves which,” King Jeroboam, foolishly, had made and “placed on the hills.” (Ibid, LBP.)

Moreover, over in Israel, in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign of Judah, “Ahab became the king of Israel.” And Ahab was one notable among the above mentioned latter forms of kings [evil leaders]. “He became king of Israel…. He was even more wicked then his father Omri; he [Omri] was worse than any other king of Israel!”
(Book of I Kings 16: 29 – 30, LBP.)

King James’s rendition states it this way: “Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before him.” (16: 25.) It is hard to fathom, how, a leader of God’s chosen people, Israel, could do worse than did King Jeroboam. Notwithstanding that, concerning Omri, as cited, the record states he did just that. Moreover, “In his sin … he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities.” (Ibid, 16: 26.)

Then when Omri passed on and thus “slept with his fathers,” in his place to the throne of the King over Israel, as stated, came his son, young Ahab.

And the chronicle regarding Ahab reads, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.” (16: 30.) Again, such is tough to fathom. But Ahab, the chronicle provides, he thought it nothing but “a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam” — King Jeroboam had flagrantly trampled underfoot the warnings and admonitions from Jehovah God.

Foolishly, not only had he purged Israel of all her Godly priest and Levites, as above-noted; appointing, in their place, idol-worshipping priest; but to “save” the children of Israel the “trouble” of going “up to sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem,” as they were clearly commanded to do; foolishly, Jeroboam ordered “two gold calf-idols” be made. Then having presented that art work — the work of hands of clay, the handiwork of that which came from mere dust — to the people, he said to them, “it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem,” therefore “: behold thy gods.”
(12: 28, LBP, KJV respectively.)

“Behold your gods,” he said, adding “thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” (Ibid, KJV.)

What in this world was wrong with Jeroboam?

Had he lost his mind? Flat out taken leave of all his senses? Had he not read, been versed, again, and again, and again —   as the law of Moses commanded all Israeli children be — of the command of God for them to never, ever, worship none other than he? Had Jeroboam forgotten the entire story of what happened at the base camp at Mount Sinai, when Aaron, brother of Moses, had made a golden calf for the Children of Israel to which to bow down? Had he plum forgotten, that time around, for Israel, to grossly understate, things did not go well…

As spoken to in Section 1 of this chapter, concerning the account at Mt. Sinai, all the guilty were put to the sword. Fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, all slain, by the command of the Lord, for their egregious sin. Slain, by the sword of Lord. Surely, Jeroboam must have considered, the very probable probability, this act of his would, minimally, temp God to unsheathe his sword. Send it to visit the house of Jeroboam.

If he failed to consider that, he well should have. Because God did unsheathe his sword against the house of Jeroboam. Because of the actions above and the actions that he followed up with buttressing those acts.

So the story the Hebrew Scripture account provides on Jeroboam’s sin is this: through his prophet, Ahijah, “the Lord God of Israel” sent Jeroboam this message: “You have done more evil than all the other kings before you; you have made other gods and made me furious with your gold calves.” And because you have done so, and in spite of my warnings to you, in spite of them, “you have refused to acknowledge me.” Therefore, “I will bring disaster upon your home and will destroy all your sons.” Sweep from the land any trace of seed that came from you. And I will do so, God declared, sweeping “away your family as a stable hand shovels out manure.” (Ibid, I Kings 14: 9 – 10, LBP.)

King James rendition reads this way: “behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall … and I will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.” (14: 10.) He further swore, “I vow, that those of your family who die in the city,” those, will be consumed by the dogs roaming those city streets; “those who die in the field,” those, will be meat for the vultures and all “the fouls of the air.” Above them, the vultures will circle and screech, to them dive, on them land and feast. (14: 11, Ibid; 14: 11, KJV; paraphrased.)

God’s disdain for the wrong, the sin, clearly expressed, enunciated, in his fury. Though for a while, he may forebear, when his cup of hatred for sin hit the brim and spilled over the same, so too did his fury. And when that happened, he looked for willing hearts, heads, and hands — willing hearts, minds, and hands to, on his behalf, unsheathe his sword. Deal with the transgressors. His mind, his heart, his hands brought, as it were, to the scene — to the seat and judgement halls of the Lord God of Israel, be that where it may.

It is impossible for Ahab not to have known such was the reward of the acts of Jeroboam. The judgement of God that literally masticated and swallowed up Jeroboam, any son that came from him, and any possibility of any seed remaining of him. Rendered them “dung.” “Dung” to be scraped and scooped up, leaving no trace of it remaining.

Yet still, Ahab thought it but “a light thing” to follow in the acts, and in the ways, and “in the sins of Jeroboam.” (Ibid, 16:31, KJV.) Worse yet, “he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Eth-baal King of the Zi-do-nians” — the Zidonians were idol worshippers. Their god Baal. Thus, in no time, not the least bit surprising, there also among the Zidonian worshippers at the altar of Baal, alongside his wife Jezebel, King of Israel, Leader in Israel, King Ahab. (Ibid.)

Soon, to make that worship more easily for the children of Israel, in Israel’s then royal city of Samaria, Ahab built a house especially for Baal. Called it, “the house of Baal,” kin to the “house of the Lord” that was in Jerusalem. Moreover, in the house of Baal, there, “he reared up an altar for Baal.” And in so doing, he provoked “the Lord God of Israel to anger” more so than had any other king who preceded him. (Ibid, 16: 31 – 33, KJV.) God proved himself passionate not only over his people, but also, just as passionate over his house, “the house of the Lord.” And, as stated, it was in the City of Jerusalem — that “stronghold of Zion,” that “City of David.” (II Samual 5: 7, KJV.) Moreover, the promises God made concerning that house in that city, he declared, were “for ever.” As we shall soon read.

Naturally, Ahab, as touched on, as the leader of Israel, with his sin, he led all Israel to do the same. Those, the actions of the King of God’s chosen people. The leader of God’s elect.

And God’s anger waxed hot.

While it did so, in the kingdom of Israel, the idol-worshipping priests flourished. As did also, their house of worship, “the House of Baal.” While they did so, “Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord.” As in, she “tried to kill all of the Lord’s prophets.” (Ibid, 18: 3 -, KJV, LBP, in that order.) Tried to make sure, to last of them, they were wiped out. Tried to have every one of them slain.

Some were slain, others God spared. Many of those spared fled to the kingdom of Judah. There taking refuge, “moving to Jerusalem, where they could freely worship the Lord God of their fathers, and sacrifice to him.” (II Chronicles, 11: 13 – 16.) Do so, at “the house of the Lord.” The house of which, the Lord God of Israel said, “I have hallowed this house.” He had declared, I have “put my name there forever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually” (emphasis added). (I Kings 9: 1, 3, KJV.)

The house, which, when King Solomon dedicated it to the Lord, that king prayed, “that thine eyes may be opened toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou has said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer that they servant shall make towards this place.”
(I Kings, 8:29, KJV.)

A notable, special house, to be sure, to say the least.

Easily understandable, why, many a prophet of the Lord thus fled to the kingdom of Judah. Nonetheless, others remained in the Kingdom of Israel. Among those who did so, and survived, one chief among those prophets of the Lord, the prophet Elijah.

In one instance, in his effort to clearly show the children of Israel who was “the Lord, mighty in power,” “The Lord God of Israel,” and who was the alleged “god of Israel,” Elijah issued a challenge. A challenge made to King Ahab himself.

In short, Elijah, told King Ahab, summons all Israel to meet me at mount Carmel. Summons also thereto, “the prophets of Ba’al,” all “four hundred and fifty” of them. Do the same, to all “the prophets of the groves,” all four hundred of them. Every last one of them, those “which eat at Jezebel’s table.” Tell them all, challenged Elijah, meet me at Mount Carmel. (Ibid, 18:17 – 20, KJV.)

So Ahab did accordingly. Thus, all the summoned came to Mount Carmel. And Elijah stood up and said, “I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Ba’al’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.”
(Ibid, 18: 22.)

Then the short story of this account is this: Elijah made this challenge to those prophets, and to all Israel gathered there. To the prophets of Ba’al, he challenged, you bring and lay on the altar, your sacrifice to your god, and I will do the same unto my God. We will all cut up our sacrifices in pieces, lay those pieces on the wood. But we will not place any fire beneath that wood. Instead, we will just pray to our God. And then, the God that answers with fire, therewith, setting aflame and consuming that on these alters, “let him be God.” And to all Israel, he challenged, when the God that is God proves himself so, “if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Ba’al, then follow him.” (Ibid, 18: 21 – 25,KJV.)

And with that challenge made, both sides went to work. As stated, the short telling of that account is, Ba’al appeared to have slept through the entire challenge, slept or was otherwise occupied. Whatever the real reason for his failure to show up there that day, the bottom line was, he failed to show.

But such was not the story told at the altar and of the sacrifice made by Elijah. There, in short telling, the fire fell. It consumed all on that altar —  “the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (18:38, Ibid.) “And when the people saw it, they fell to their faces upon the ground shouting, “Jehovah is God! Jehovah is God!’” (18: 39, LBP.)

Indeed, he was. And that day, as stated, the Lord God of Israel was at the scene at mount Carmel.

What’s more, he was there with his sword — it was polished, it was razor-edged, it was unsheathed. And the executioner it would be handed to thereat was the Prophet Elijah.

There were no options given to the prophets of Ba’al. No embrace Judaism and be safe, no offer for them to pay the jizyah and be spared, nor to agree to “our” terms and know “the protection of God and his messenger” — there was none of that!

There was but one directive, and it was aflowing through the mouth of his prophet Elijah. While the people shouted “Jehovah is God!” Elisha was shouting too — he had to have been because all Israel heard him.

And the order in the shout of that prophet to all Israel was the verdict for all the prophets of Ba’al.

It would be after the order of that of Joshua of old. When, he and the children of Israel met the massive alliance of armies on the plains of Gibeon. When he commanded his troops, concerning those of their enemies who tried fleeing to the protection of their walled cities, and Joshua commanded, let none of them get away! The order in the shout from Elijah, it was in keeping with the words of the “Preacher” from Jerusalem —  there is a time to kill; there is a time to die.

And the time to kill, that day, belonged to Elijah; the time to die, that day was the lot of the prophets of Ba’al.

For those prophets, in Israel, there would be no rehab, no reprograming courses for them. No sir, for them, at the sword of the Lord, in Israel, there would now be but their graves. Thus, the record relates, Elijah told the people “to grab the prophets of Ba’al, ‘Don’t let a single one of them escape,’ he commanded.” (I Kings18: 40, LBP.)

So the people of Israel, obeying that command, “they seized them all, and Elijah took them to Kishron Brook and killed them there.”(18: 40 – 41.)

Needless to say, that day, the Kishron Brook ran red. Red with the blood of the prophets of Ba’al. The sword of the Lord, once again unsheathed, once more in the hands of the sons of Jacob, its wielding therein, satisfying the fury of the Lord.

However, as time does, time rolled on. And as it did, Israel knew both times of peace and times of war.

And during a time of war, on the battlefield in his chariot, there, disguised in the attire of the common foot soldier was King Ahab. (I Kings 22:30.)

“And a certain man drew a bow of venture,” and that arrow spent found its mark. “It struck King Ahab between the joints of his armor.” (I Kings 22:34, LBP.) Badly wounded and bleeding profusely in his chariot, King Ahab ordered his chariot driver to take him out of the battle. But as the battle intensified, the Syrian’s offensive remained fierce, thus, in spite of his grievous wound, the king was forced stay on the battlefield. All the while, his blood pouring from his wound down onto the floorboards of his chariot. By evening time, he was out of both, blood and life.

Quickly, the word of the king’s demise ran through the ranks; soon, if not along with that, came the word, the battle is over, “every man to his city.” (22:36, KJV.)

That day, the sword of the Lord, in the form of a chance arrow spent, bringing to King Ahab, his payment for his sins, his reward for his wrong in Israel, the fulfillment of God’s word spoken against him.

Now, with the king dead and blood-covered in his chariot, the king’s chariot driver returned to Samaria. There, they buried Ahab. With that done, “one” took the chariot to “the pool of Samaria,” washed the blood out from it. While so doing, the dogs roaming in the area thereto came, and true to the word of the Lord, “the dogs licked up his blood.”
(Ibid 22: 35 – 38, KJV.)

“So Ahab slept with his fathers; and, Ahiziah his son reigned in his stead.” (22: 40, Ibid.)

And Ahaziah, “he was not a good king, for he followed in the footsteps of his father and mother and of Jeroboam….” In other words, just as they had done, he did. He “led Israel into the sin of worshipping idols.” (22: 52 – 53, LBP.) Thus, again, in Israel, Ba’al and other idols were worshipped and served.

“Ahaziah made the Lord God of Israel very angry.” (22: 53.) In due time, Ahaziah likewise died. But the evil he and his fathers had brought into Israel remained.

And as God’s cup of fury filled once again, again, because the leaders in Israel “made Israel to sin,” encouraging them to serve at the altar of Baal, and there, worship; once again, the Lord God of Israel came searching for a man to act on his behalf.

To that end, there came a day in Israel, during the reign of Ahab’s son, Joram, God spoke to his prophet, Elisha. And he told him, “Go to Ramoth-gilead.”  “He told him, ‘Take this vial of oil with you.” (II Kings 8; 9: 1, LBP.) There, he instructed, I want you to find and anoint “Jehu (the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi).” Take him aside “into a private room away from his friends,” and there, “pour the oil over his head.” Then tell him, “the Lord has anointed him to be king of Israel,” and he has thus been called and thus anointed for a special service to the Lord. (Ibid, 9:3.) Special work to be done.

“So the young prophet did as he was told.” (9:4.) Thus, taking Jehu aside into a private room, there, he “poured the oil over his head and said, ‘The Lord God of Israel says, ‘I anoint you king of the Lord’s people, Israel.” Moreover, I ordain you to this post, and this is your first duty: “You are to destroy the family of Ahab.” You are to “avenge the murder of my prophets and of all my other people who were killed by Jezebel.” (9:8.)

He told him, “the entire family of Ahab must be wiped out — every male, no matter who.” Because, I swore, that I would do. And you, Jehu, you will be the man who, on my behalf, gets that done. (Ibid.)

“I,” declared the Lord God of Israel, “I will destroy the family of Ahab as I destroyed the families of Jeroboam (son of Nebat) and of Baasha (son of Ahijah). Dogs shall eat Ahab’s wife Jezebel at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.”
(Ibid. 9: 9 – 10.)

Therefore, Jehu had his orders. Therefore, short account of his assuming the kingship and following those orders is this: first “he jumped in a chariot and rode to Jezreel.” (9:16.) On his way there, right near “the portion of Na-both the Jezreelite,” there he encountered just the man he came looking for: King Joram. (9: 21, KJV.) Thus, he killed Ahab’s son, King Joram. “Drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between the shoulders,” that arrow pierced and passed through the heart of Joram, killing him where he stood. Thus, the bow and arrow in the hands of Jehu that day, representative of the sword of the Lord in the hand of Lord. (9:24.)

Then Jehu commanded his assistant, toss the kings dead body into “the field of Naboth.” Because, said Jehu, he recalled, once, while he was riding behind Ahab (because Jehu was a Captain in Ahab’s army), through revelation, the Lord had told Jehu, “Surely, I have seen the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons.” (9:26, KJV.)

That blood, it was innocent blood. Shed on behalf of Ahab. Shed, by the hands of “even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his [Naboth’s] city.” (I Kings 21: 8 – 14, KJV.) It was innocent blood shed at the command of King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel. It was the blood of a man wrongly charged secondary to the malicious conniving of the same woman; thus, a man, was wrongfully convicted, and therefore, his blood, when it was spilled, was blood unjustly spilt.

And God saw it all. And he swore then — at the time of the murder — “I will repay him [King Ahab] hereon Naboth’s property for the murder of Naboth and his sons.” He swore to Ahab, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.” (I Kings 21: 19, LBP, KJV in that order.)

Moreover, as cited, God shared that oath of sure-to-come just deserts with Jehu. Thus, as Jehu met and slayed, Joram, the son of Ahab, he did so at the very place and plot that the Lord had promised that that retributive payment would be paid to Ahab and his family. (II Kings 9:26, LBP)

Because when Ahab was informed, by the prophet, Elijah, of that coming punishment, Ahab tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted, “and went softly.” God thus had said, “because he humbleth [sic] himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” (I Kings 21: 27 – 29, KJV.) Therefore, the first one to know the first fruits, as it were, of that repayment would be Ahab’s son, King Joram.

Moreover, because Ahab’s evil deeds were Jeroboam like evil deeds, God had sworn, so too, would Ahab’s punishment be Jeroboam like punishment.

Thus, God had sworn to Ahab, as above mentioned, “In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.” (I Kings 21: 19, KJV.)

God had sworn, Ahab had “sold” himself out “to work evil in the sight of the Lord,” thus, because of that, then on him, God would surely rain down the very thing Ahab had sold himself out to: evil.

God thus swore, as touched on above, as it was with the house of Jeroboam, as it was with the house of Ba’a-sh, for the provocations wherewith they provoked and heated God’s anger, so would it be with the house of Ahab. In other words, God swore, “I will bring evil upon thee.” I “will take away your posterity.” I “will cut off from Ahab him that pissith against the wall, and him that is shup up and left in Israel.”
(Ibid, 21:21.)

In other words, as cited, I “will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam…. — him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth [sic] in the field” above him, the vultures will circle and screech, to him dive, on him land and feast. (14: 10 -11, Ibid; 14: 11, KJV; 21:22, 24, KJV; paraphrased.)

What’s more, “of Jezebel also spoke the Lord” — because she too was guilty — “saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.” (21: 23.) The Lord had sworn and foretold, “the carcase [sic] of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel.” (II Kings 9: 37.)

How so? The dogs that would consume her will there, “upon the face of” those fields, defecate.

This was the work of, the result produced by, the sword of the Lord once again unsheathed in Israel; though wet with the blood and debris of its slain, shimmering, all the same.

And as cited, Jehu clearly recalled that to which the Lord had sworn. So he left this first he had slain of the house of Abab in the field where he was tossed; left him there, the feed of the fouls of the air and birds of prey. In other words, left Joram, son of Ahab, there to be consumed by the judgment, the word, of the Lord spoken against “the house of Ahab.”

However, with Joram slain, Jehu was not done there yet. Because, with King Joram that fateful day and meeting, there too was King Ahaziah, then King of Judah. And the latter, “the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.” Moreover, one who also “walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab.”
(II Kings 8: 25 – 27, KJV.)

Thus, the record of that day’s events relates, when King Ahaziah witnessed Joram be killed and then tossed to the field of Naboth; from in his chariot where he was then, King Ahaziah put to flight his steeds and that chariot. “And he fled by way of the garden house.” With Jehu following hard after him. And while Jehu did so, he shouted out to his men, kill King Ahaziah just as I killed King Joram. Thus, Jehu shouted, “Smite him also in the chariot.” (Ibid, 9: 27.)

“And they did so,” notwithstanding, the steeds’ hard running for their lives and for the life of their cargo. Jehu’s men, nonetheless, with their arrows reached and penetrated their target. Thus, mortally wounded, King Ahaziah continued in his chariot, fleeing “to Megiddo, and” there he died. (Ibid.)

Now, at Jehu’s hand or command, in one day’s work, as it were, both the King of Israel and the King of Judah were dead. Both thrones vacant. And King Ahaziah, “his servants carried him in his chariot back to Jerusalem,” and there, they ‘buried him in his sepulchre [sic] with his fathers in the city of David.” (9:28.)

On the heels of that, missing not a beat, forthrightly, Jehu redirected his mounts towards Jezreel — he had, as cited, specific duties there yet to execute. And that he knew.

Ergo, there would be no moss growing or even budding beneath Jehu’s feet. This King, this anointed, and appointed, executioner in Israel, he had much work to do. And concerning the execution of his charge and of his duty, it would not be said of Jehu, thereto Jehu hesitated or dallied. Therefore, until those were fully accomplished, he would not relent.

Meanwhile, in Jezreel, word of what had happened at Naboth’s field that day must have arrived there  hastier than did Jehu. Thus, the record relates, when Jezebel heard that Jehu was now in Jezreel, in her effort to disquise herself, “she painted her face, and tired her head.” And, then, from her castle, “looked out at a window.” (9: 30.)

As she did so, down below her on the street, “Jehu entered the gate of the palace.”And as he did so, Jezebel, shouted out to him, “How are you today, you murder! You son of Zimri who murdered his master!” (9: 31, LBP.)

And Jehu “looked up and saw her in the window.” And he shouted out, echoes, refrains of Moses at the base of Mount Sinai — Jehu shouted, “Who is on my side?” (9:32.)

“Who?” (Ibid.)

And up in the windows above him, there appeared “two or three eunuchs.” Their appearance thereat signifying, we are, Jehu! — we are on your side! Say the word, Sir.

So Jehu commanded them, “Throw her down!” (9:32 – 33.)

“So they threw her down.” (9:33.) Thus down she came. Hitting the ground somewhere near where Jehu rested on his mount. And “he trod her underfoot.” Thus, the record relates, as he did so, “some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall,” so too, “on the horses.”  (9: 33.)

Then, understandably, Jehu realized, he was a hungry man.

So too, a thirsty one. So he went inside the premise, he ate and he drank. And after or while doing so, he thought about Jezebel out on the street. He thought about, the shame it was, she was there, not only once a King’s wife, but also a king’s daughter. Thus, he gave the command, “Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king’s daughter.” (9:34.)

But when they went out to bury her, “they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.” (9: 35.) That day, the warhorse of Jehu, the hoofs and the rider thereof, representatives of the “sword of the Lord” swung in Jezreel.

The fulfillment of the promise and word of the Lord, once again, brought to fruition by the “sword of the Lord.” Thus Jehu said, when they informed him of her scarce remains, “This is the word of the Lord,” the fulfillment of that which was spoken of through his prophet, Elisha. That, as cited above, “In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel.” And it happened, true to the words. (9:36, 37.)

Still, Jehu had much work yet to do. Because “Ahab had seventy sons.” They were all living in Samaria. They “were living in the homes of the chief men of the city,” which were the homes “where they had been raised since childhood.” These chief men, their caretakers. Their guardians. (II Kings 10:1, KJV; 10:6, LBP.)

So Jehu reasoned, time to sit down and write these men a letter. Surely, they were all aware, their brother, King Joram was dead. The throne of Israel no longer his. Anyone of those seventy boys, if he had a mind to, had the will and heart to, could challenge Jehu for that throne. All of them could easily, if they willed to, unite and fight against Jehu to avenge to murder of their brother.

Therefore, if they were so inclined, Jehu challenged them to get to it. Thus he wrote, “Upon receipt of this letter, select the best one of Ahab’s sons to be your king, and prepare to fight for his throne. For you have chariots and [sic] horses and a fortified city and an armory.” They were, after all, royal linage.
(10: 2 -3, LBP.)

Nonetheless, when they got that letter, talking amongst themselves, they reasoned, “Two kings couldn’t stand against this man! What can we do?” So they were simply “to frightened to do it.” (10:4.)

Therefore, “the manager of palace affairs and the city manager, together with the city council and the guardians of Ahab’s sons,” they all got together, and forthrightly, to Jehu sent their answer.(10:5.) In that they stated, “Jehu, we are your servants,” and as such, we “will do anything you tell us to.” Moreover, they told him, they all believed, “that you should be our king.” (Ibid.)

So to that Jehu responded, if indeed, “you are on my side,” then it is time for you to act. To act on my behalf, “obey me.” He could have added, you act on my behalf, you carry out my commands, as I act on behalf of the Lord God of Israel, and as I obey and execute his command. Then he gave them his first command for them to obey and to execute, instructing them, “bring the heads of your master’s sons to me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” (10:6.)

Therefore, the record states, when this second letter arrived at the Samarian palace headquarters, true to their words, the men delivered. Swords, if not sharpened already, they were quickly so made. And Ahab’s sons were brought forth. And one by one, “all seventy of them were murdered.” Beheaded at the command of Jehu, as he carried out the charge and the duty given to him by the Lord God of Israel. (10:7.)

Then, according to Jehu’s command, those seventy “heads were packed into baskets,” and forthrightly sent to Jezreel, and there, “presented to Jehu.” Upon receiving them, Jehu commanded “that the heads of the king’s sons” be piled “in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate,” and that they be left there “until the next morning.” (10: 8.)

Then, when morning came, naturally, people of Jezreel and round about, when they saw those two piles of severed heads, they lingered thereat. It’s hard to know, if any of the sons, with what was there of them, were even recognizable. Whether they were or not, soon the gathered crowd there, and others, would clearly know from whom the severed heads came. Because, soon after the people began to gather there, Jehu also arrived.

And when he did, he stood and said to all those gathered there, “‘You are not to blame.’ He told them, ‘I conspired against my master and killed him, but I didn’t kill his sons!’”

Then he said, “The Lord has done that, for everything he says comes true. He declared through his servant Elijah that this would happen to Ahab’s descendants.” Therefore, it happened. (10: 10.)

Now it was time for Jehu to get back to work — in Jezreel their yet remained “all the rest of the members of the family of Ahab.” Therefore, true to his charge, quick to his duty, Jehu, with sword in hand — the sword of the Lord — would now bring to the household of Ahab in Jezreel, the fate of Jericho, Ahi, Lachish, Eglon, et al.

So Jehu rounded up in Jezreel all that remained of that family, and there he slayed them all. Every last one of them. So too, “all of his [Ahab’s] important officials,” so too, all of Ahab’s “personal friends.” So too, all of his “private chaplains.” Jehu just kept slaying and slaying all that had any close connection to Ahab, until, “finally, no one was left who had been close to him [Ahab] in any way.” (10: 11.)

“Then he set out for Samaria.” Overnighting “at a shepherds inn along the way.” (10:12.)

And while there at that inn, there too came “the brothers of King Ahaziah of Judah.” As before mentioned, King Ahaziah was a son-in-law of Ahab.

Perhaps the men looked like dignitaries. Or perchance they seemed as though they just might be royal family members; whatever the reason was, the narrative relates, when Jehu saw the men, if it was not with suspect that he looked at them, then, it was minimally, with curiosity. Thus, he asked the group of men, “‘Who are you?’” And they answered, “‘We are brothers of King Ahaziah.” Then they told Jehu, “‘we are going to Samaria to visit the sons of King Ahab and of the Queen Jezebel.’” (10: 12 – 13.)

That was all the green flag Jehu needed — he shouted to his men, “‘Grab them!’” His men did so. Then Jehu “took them out to the cistern and,” there, he “killed all forty-two of them.” (10:14.) He “slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them,” so reads the King James rendition of the account. Then he prepared to continue towards Samaria.

Just as he was leaving the inn, he saw “Jehonadab, the son of Rechab.” Jehonadab, must have heard that Jehu was on his way to Samaria, also must have been aware of the killing Jehu had been doing, and therefore, he “was coming out to him.” So the two men exchanged greetings, and Jehu asked Jehonadab, “Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?” (10:15.)

“Yes,” I am, answered Jehonadab.

So Jehu extended his hand to him. Telling him, if such was so, “Then give me your hand.” And when Jehonadab did so, Jehu pulled Jehonadab up into his royal chariot. Telling him, “Come with me,” because, I want you to “see my zeal for the Lord.” (10:16, KJV.)

So off they went onto Samaria. Jehonadab now along for the ride. To see fist hand, as stated, Jehu’s “zeal for the Lord.” Be assured, Jehonadab was indeed in for a show.

Upon arriving at Samaria, by one means or another Jehu either rounded up or met up with every friend and relative that Ahab had in that city. And “he butchered all of Ahab’s friends and relatives, just as Elijah,” provides the record, “speaking for the Lord, had predicted” that the Lord himself swore he himself would do. (10:17.)

Ergo, Jehu, acting “for the Lord,” wields his sword, does his work. Thus, in Jehu fulfilling his duty, he therein brings to fruition what the Lord had sworn he himself would do.

What’s more, in fine style, in filling that role, exercising that vice-regency, Jehu was nowhere near “Done.” In fact, one might even state, his “feature” feat was yet to be performed. Moreover, in it, Jehu would prove, he was just as handy with trickery as he was with the sword. Moreover, for that feature feat, as noted, he was now in Samaria —  there, setting the stage, arranging the props, as it were, and preparing for that act.

For in Samaria, as earlier mentioned, there was “the house of Ba’al.”

What’s more, because, post the challenge at Mount Carmel and the cited extermination thereat of all of the then alive and serving prophets of Ba’al, because other leaders in Israel, still, even after that lesson, they continued to worship Ba’al, the ranks and roster of her prophets had been repletivly resupplied.

And now Israel’s new King was eager to meet all these fine leaders in Israel. Eager to meet these influential devotees to the alleged god of Israel. Therefore, to that end, he “called a meeting.” Summoned to it all the people of the city.
(II Kings 10: 17, LBP.)

And he in essence there told them, you are charged with spreading this word throughout all Israel, I am now king in this kingdom. And if you thought kings that preceding me, especially Ahab, worshipped Ba’al with fervor and zeal, you are in for one big surprise.

You only think you have witnessed zeal for Ba’al, but fact is, you have yet to see pure zeal and sincere worship. But not to worry, because, I, I am going to show you precisely what real zeal looks like.

And when you see my zeal and my worship of Baal, Jehu told the gathered crowd, Ahab’s zeal and worship for Ba’al will seem nothing. He declared, he boasted, “Ahab served Ba’al a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.” Just wait and see, just come to Samaria and see. (II Kings 10:18, KJV.)

And when you see my zeal, you will know, as I declared, “Ahab hardly worshipped Baal at all in comparison to the way I am going to!” (Ibid, LBP.)

“Therefore,” come and see precisely what I am talking about, he in essence told them. Get this word out, “Summons all the prophets and priest of Baal.”

Call also to come along with them “all his worshippers.” Tell them all, their presence, their attendance is demanded of them in Samaria, demanded at the house of Baal. There, we will have ourselves a celebration. A worship service for and to Baal, the likes of which has never yet been seen. Whoever among you fails to show up for this, “he shall not live.” (10:19, KJV.) Be he prophet, priest, or common worshipper of Baal, “Any of Baal’s worshippers who don’t come [to this special worship service] will be put to death.” (Ibid, LBP.)

Therefore, “throughout all Israel,” with that word messengers were dispatched. Just as  Jehu had instructed them to do, they summonsed to Samaria all “those who worshiped Baal.” Thus, from every corner, unto Samaria they came — came to the house of Baal. “There was not a man [who worshiped Baal] left that came not.” And they poured into the chambers of that temple, filling it to its full capacity, “from one end to the other.” “And the house of Ba’al was full.”
(10: 19 – 21, LBP; KJV.)

Now, wanting this to be so special, also, determined to make certain, in that temple, for this special sacrifices that would be made there that day, no one be allowed to partake of it unless they were true sincere worshippers of Baal; thus, Jehu decided, it was time for him to talk to the one in charge of the vestry.

So he went to him. And he told, open up the vestry, “bring forth vestment for all the worshipers of Ba’al,” be they prophets, priest, or common man, cloth every last one of them with these special ceremonial robes. He charged the man, to “Be sure that every worshipper wears one of the special robes.” (10:22, paraphrased; KJV; LBP respectively.)

Now it was time to put Jehonadab to work, let him show his zeal also … his front row seat to witness that of Jehu’s, to be sure, was assured.

Thus, Jehu, bringing Jehonadab along with him, went into the house of Baal. There they instructed all therein, for each one of them, to look at his neighbor, the one on the right, the one to his left, the one in front of him, the one behind him, check and double check, make sure, they are indeed worshippers of Baal.

“Check,” he commanded them, “to be sure that only those who worship Baal are here.” Because, it is him we came here to honor this day. Therefore, each one of you, “Search.” “Look” around you, and make sure, “that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Ba’al only.”
(10:23 LBP, KJV.)

And with that assurance satisfied, the order was given to let the celebration, thus, the sacrificing begin.

And “as the priest of Baal began offering sacrifices and burnt offerings,” Jehu left the building. Stepping out its door, from the cadre of men he had brought there with him that day, he called out eighty. He commended them, surround this temple.

He further told that group of eighty, should one or some inside that temple “whom I have brought” here today try to escape, don’t let them. Anyone of you who fails to do just that, then, with his life will that one pay for that fool-headed error. (10:24, [KJV] paraphrased.)

Next, he turned to “his officers and men” that were there with him and still waiting for their specific orders. Those he commanded, “Go in, and kill the whole bunch of them. Don’t let a single one escape.” (10:25, LBP.)

So they went in. And to the man, all Baal worshippers therein, “they smote them with the edge of the sword.” “They slaughtered them all and dragged their bodies outside.” (10: 26, KJV, LBP.)

“And the Lord said unto Jehu,” with all the dead he had heaped up on his account as he fulfilled the duty he was charged with, that Jehu had “done well.” “Done well,” the Lord told him, “in executing that which is right in mine eyes.” Because he had done, said the Lord, “unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart” to do unto that house. (10: 30, KJV.)

Thus, the story told of when, over the house of Ahab, as it were, thus, so too, in the temple of Ba al — the house of Baal, which Ahab had built — the sword of the Lord was unsheathed, its work fulfilled, thus, to the historical notes on that sword, the above-cited details added.

Thus, in this chapter, we have provided just a few prime snapshots providing details of the history of the sword allegedly promised to the alleged prophet of Islam.

With such a history, naturally, this sword was a most coveted sword. As shown in the narratives herein cited, it was the sword whose edge and pierce delivered to the guilty, the end-result of the verdict of the judgment of God. The sword whose edge and tip oftentimes delivered the express fulmination of the wrath of God.

As cited in the opening pages of Section One of this chapter, that sword was the sword that, according to the alleged revelation Muhammad allegedly received, was promised to be at his service.

Its use for such by “God’s elect” as delineated in this chapter may seem harsh — and it was harsh. But as shown, as cited in section one, it was also according to the law of God. Among the commands that he gave to Moses. Its use highlighted herein, as also cited in section one, was because God hated sin. He hated his elect worshiping and serving other gods then him. He still does.

But some notable events happened in between the time in which the sons of Israel swung that sword for the cause of the Lord God of Israel and the time of the advent of Islam. Those notable events dramatically changed the way in which God dealt with humanity and its peccability.

Specifically, most notably, a child was born. Born of a virgin.

He was called “the son of David.”

Because, “(as was supposed),” he was “the son of Joseph, which was the son of He’li, which was …. The son of Levi …. Which was the son of David …. Which was the son of Juda. Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham….” (The Gospel of St. Luke, 3: 23 – 34, KJV.)

He was likewise called “The mighty God, The everlasting Father.” He was called “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” “His name Jesus.” (Hebrew Scripture, The Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 9:6, Ibid; The Gospel According to Saint Matthew, 1:23, 21 respectively)

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (The Gospel According to Saint John, 1: 11.)

Moreover, He came into this world knowing the law of God. Thus, knowing, “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Hebrew Scripture, The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, 18:4 and 20, KJV.) He came knowing, because he was God, that, here in this world, “there is none righteous, no, not one.” “All have sinned….” “Not one in all the world is innocent.”
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, 3: 11, 23, KJV; 3:11, LBP respectively.)

Thus, he came into this world, fully aware of his reason for so doing. Thus, he came, looking towards his place of future sacrifice.

And he did so saying to the Father of all, “a body hast thou prepared for me.” (Hebrews 10: 5.)

He did so knowing, “almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood there is no remission”; yet, knowing, “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Ibid, 9: 22; Ibid, 10: 4.) So too, we could add, not possible for the same for the spilled blood of mere men.

Thus, he came, God, stepping into that body that was prepared for him. Thus becoming, thus so called, “the Son of the Highest.” (The Gospel of St. Luke, 1:32.)

God manifesting himself “in the flesh.” God taking on the form of man; God, then offering himself as the spotless sacrifice that was stipulated in the Law of Moses that had to be rendered because of sin. Thus, he came, to lay himself on the altar of sacrifice, “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
(First Epistle of Paul to the Apostle Timothy, 3:16; Hebrews 9: 14, 26, in that order.)

And when he did so, his sacrifice was accepted. It was consumed. Thus, history notes, “Christ was offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look” to him, they will be “sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ,” who died “once for all.” (Ibid, 9:28.)

And he was laid in a tomb. That tomb sealed. But three days later, he was resurrected. The tomb “unsealed.” He was seen of men. Walked and talked to and with them. And not long after that, “he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” (The Gospel According to Saint Mark, 16:19.)

But a lot of people do not believe that. “Muhammad,” the scribes of Islam, and the followers thereof are among those. Therefore, for them, they are still aiming to address the charge of sin, and the payment due for it. They do so, claiming they are now the vice-regents deputized to rule over humanity on God’s behalf. Exercise God’s authority over it. Implement his law. This, for them, from the Islamic perspective, is the law of “Allah.”

Where the Hebrew Scripture shows, the commandments of God were given to the children of Israel, in so doing, God, in part fulfilling his promise to Abraham, that, “in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genisis 22:18, KJV); according to Islamic doctrine, the Ummah now takes up that honor. It is alleged. As cited in the opening paragraphs of this chapter.

As Tafsir provides on “We made you a moderate Ummah (community), so that you should be witnesses over the people, and the Messenger a witness to you,” (Q. 2:143), that “characteristic quality,” of moderation, it is claimed, that “confers a superiority on the Islamic Ummah” over all other communities. (Ma’ariful Qur’an, Vol 1, P. 367.) And of course, it is claimed, Islam, a superiority over all other faiths.

Therefore, provides tafsir, “Through such a characterization of the Islamic Ummah, the Holy Qur’an has thus indicated that this Ummah … is superior to all others” in serving the above stated goals. Adding, goals, “for which all the prophets and divine books have been sent.” (Ibid, P. 370.) In other words, goals for which the 10 commandments and the Mosaic Law were sent.

Ergo, declares al-Qur’an, “‘You are the best Ummah that has been brought forth for men, bidding to good deeds and forbidding evil deeds and believing in Allah.’ (3: 110.)” (Ibid.)

“Allah,” of course being the god of Muhammad and his followers. The god that, allegedly, led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Gave them his laws. His commandments. Delegated to them, the authoritative use of his sword.

The “God” who, as earlier mentioned herein, when King Solomon built “the House of the Lord” in Jerusalem, dedicated that house to Jehovah God, the Lord God of Israel, asking for God’s special blessings be on that house; that God swore, “I have hallowed this house.” He declared, I have “put my name there forever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.” (I Kings 9: 1, 3, KJV.)

“Allah,” the alleged god who, now, after the advent of Islam, and, Muhammad’s alleged longing, when he prayed, to look towards the kaba in Mecca instead of towards Jerusalem and the House of the Lord built and dedicated to him there; said in essence to Muhammad, sure, no problem, go right ahead and pray to Mecca. Declaring, “To Allah belongs the East and the West. So, whichever way you turn, there is the Face of Allah.” (Surah Al-Baqarah ; 115, as rendered in Ma’ariful Qur’an, Vol. I.)

Because, allegedly said “Allah,” “We do see how you raise your face again and again towards the sky. So, We are going to give you the orientation which you desire. Therefore, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque of Mecca, and all of you, whosoever you may be, turn towards it.” (2: 144, Ibid.)

And while you’re at it, go ahead and do away with keeping the Sabbath a day of rest and a day I have myself declared was to be held holy. The day I commanded you to observe forever. Declared, as cited in Section One of this chapter, your observance of that day and my command concerning it would be “a sign between me and the children of Israel forever.”

And while you’re doing away with that, states the god of the Qur’an, go ahead, on that day or any day you like, slaughter and eat all the camel you want and can handle. All that, it would be but a light thing…

All of that, now fine with me, saith the god of Muhammad.

And so, this, the best of Ummahs, it is their duty to lead humanity to “good deeds.” As cited, and to likewise forbid “evil deeds.” That is, “those which have been defined as such by the Shari’ah.”
(Ibid, P. 371.)

And for the latter, “to dissuading people from evil deeds … it may require the use sometimes of the tongue, sometimes of the hand, sometimes of the pen and sometimes of the sword,” thus, including, “all the forms of Jihad.” (Ibid.)

Tafsir then buttressing that with, “As far as the extensive and intensive display of this particular quality is concerned, no other Ummah can compare with the Islamic Ummah.” (Ibid.)

Jesus came atoning for the sins of all, but “Muhammad” and his, they came still aiming to atone for their own sins and so too, as noted, when need be, with the use of the sword, bringing others to atone for their “sins” (some legit, others, so charged).

Thus, as spoken to in Section One of this chapter, “Allah,” allegedly, transferring from the sons of Israel to the ummah of Muhammad, the honor, and the duty, of wielding his sword in his cause — that sword which was polished, razor edged, and, as shown herein, well-acquainted with being covered, smeared, and dripping with the blood of its slain.

Such was the sword, according to Islamic doctrine, that was promised to aid, assist, and bring to fruition all in the alleged promises of “Allah” in the alleged “revelation” allegedly received by the “Arab, Qurashi, Makkan, unlettered Prophet.”

Understandably, naturally, Muhammad, according to Islamic text, when he learned, via the alleged “revelation,” that the men, the nation behind the work of that famed sword had been commanded to aid him with it for his cause; he must have been wonderfully pleased (conversely, when they refused to do so, he was sorely rawly inflamed against them.)

He, according to Islamic “scripture,” would be like Moses, like Joshua, like Elijah, like Jehu – all those wrapped up, as it were, poured into the body “Muhammad” would inhabit. He of whom “Ibn Abbas said that the spirit of the Prophet was a light in the hands of Allah two thousand years before He created Adam …. When Allah created Adam, He cast that light into his loins.”

(Iyad, Qadi Iyad ‘Ibn Musa al-Yasubi, Muhammad Messenger of Allah, Ash-Shifa, Aisha Abdarrahman Bewley translation, Medinah Press, Cape Town, South Africa, Seventh print, 2008/ 1429H, ISBN 1 874216262, British Library Cataloguing,  P. 43.)

He, who, according to Islamic doctrine, said of himself, “‘Allah brought me down to earth … placed me in the loins of Nuh and then cast me into the loins of Ibrahim. Allah continued to move me from noble loins and pure wombs until he brought me out of my parents. (Ibid.)

He who claimed, “I was the first of the Prophets to be created and the last of them to be sent.’” (Ibid, P. 23.) Moreover, he who declared, “Allah” told him, “I have placed your name alongside of My name which is called out in the heavens.” (Ibid. P. 87.)

This man, this alleged prophet, was he who claimed, on the night of the “Night Journey,” an angel, learning of Muhammad’s presence there in heaven, came out from behind the “veil just below the Merciful.” And that angel then “took Muhammad by the hand and advanced him” to his rightful place in heaven, which was, as al-Bazzar notes, “imam of the inhabitants of heavens, including Adam and Nuh.” (Ibid, P. 95.)

He would be the leader of “God’s” new elect on earth. And thus being, the rule and superiority of his Ummah, as stated, would be boundless. As cited in Section One of this chapter, his nation would rule over all within the realm of “the eastern and western parts of the earth.”

“Allah” would now entrust them with the authoritative use of his sword — “the sword of Allah.”

However, their use of the said sword would be different from its use in the hands of the tribe of Israel. Because the goals of Muhammad’s ummah and the objectives that the children of Israel were commanded to possess are/were vastly different.

Muhammad and his were looking for subjects. For converts and citizens. He was looking for live members to add into the roster of the censuses of his nation. Men to add to his army. They were looking for Global “peace” — “Peace” through the strength and domination of Islam. “Peace” because of the “superiority of Islam.”

Thus, for that cause, now called “the cause of Allah,” when and if need be, the “sword of Allah” would be unsheathed.

What’s more, to achieve his goals of supremacy for his ummah,  Muhammad would need willing hands, hearts, and souls to embrace his cause, take up “the sword” and, kin to what the sons of Jacob did, use that sword to bring to fruition the alleged promises of “Allah.”

 

Concluding Chapter Five

 

In concluding this chapter, concerning the rich history of the details borne out in it concerning the said sword, I re-pose and restate, how do we know that Muhammad allegedly knew that was the sword that was, allegedly, promised him?

Answer: because the Qur’an and the historical and biographical works tell us so.

We recall, as mentioned in Chapter four of this series, at the first meeting at Aqaba, the records relate, at that meeting, “when the apostle met them [men of the Aus and Khazraj from Yathrib] he learned by inquiry that they were … allies of the Jews.” (Ibn Ishaq, P. 197.) Ibn Ishaq further relates that, according to Islamic teaching, this “chance” meeting was in fact just part of how “God had prepared the way for Islam in that they [Aus and Khazraj] lived side by side with the Jews.” (Ibid.)

As spoken to in Section One of this chapter, as most know, the Jews are the people to whom God gave his laws. The people to whom, as the Qur’an puts it, were given the Scripture, the commandments of God, and the prophets of the same, as we will shortly read.

Thus, “God had prepared the way for Islam in that they [Aus and Khazraj] lived side by side with the Jews,” as in, God arranged the meeting at Aqabah. Therein, uniting Muhammad and the Aus and Khazraj of Yathrib (al-Medina), therewith, bringing about the meeting and the supposed expected allying of Muhammad and the Jews of Yathrib —  the Jews, the people of “the Book” from which and of which Muhammad thought he was preaching. Just, now, in Islam’s inception, Muhammad came preaching that same message to his people, the Arabs. Thus, he came providing that guidance and that message to them in their native tongue of Arabic.

As the Qur’an provides, hearkening back to the covenant spoken of in section one, that the children of Israel had allegedly made with “Allah,” “Remember,” states al-Qur’an, “ when Allah made a covenant with the Prophets.” When he [allegedly] did so, he did so stating, “‘Now that I have given you … a share of the Book and Wisdom and then a Messenger, meaning Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, comes to you confirming what is with you of the Book and Wisdom, you must believe in him and help him.” Tafsir continues, “the covenant is that when they and their nations meet him, they must follow him.” (al-Jalalyan 3: 81.)

Thus, the Jews, are the people of the Scripture he claimed he came confirming. The people of the religion that he pointed the pagan Meccans to, and urged them to embrace and practice. The people who were supposed to live guided by the message this messenger stated he came delivering. They were supposed to accept him as their prophet that God had sent to them. Accept him as they did Moses, Joshua, Elijah, et al.. According to what Muhammad said was in their scripture, they were supposed to follow him. Obey him. And as shown and cited, they were supposed to help him with their swords.

It was no secret, the Jews were well-known warriors. As shown, for good reason so known.

And post Aqabah, when Muhammad and the Meccan Muslims emigrated to Medinah, there, unlike how it had been for them in Mecca, in Medinah they would now live (at least for a while) side by side with the Jews. As the historical sources provide, as Islam grew stronger with Median support, not long after the Hijrah, Muhammad and his army “marched (ghaza) to the Battle of Badr on the morning of Friday, the seventeenth of Ramadan, the nineteenth month of AH [al-Hijrah].” (Al-Waqidi, P. 3.) Of course, when they did so, soon came the Muslim victory at Badr.

And on the heels of “Badr,” when Muhammad and his men came back to Medina boasting of their great victory there, and thus, aiming to use that leverage to bring the Jews to embrace Islam, for no small reason the Jews were less than impressed. Unmoved by that alleged “great victory.” What’s more, they said as much to Muhammad.

Did so telling him flatly, as al-Waqidi relates it, “‘O Muhammad, let not those whom you met deceive you. Surely you have defeated a people who have no experience in war. But we are, by God, the masters of war, and if you fight us you will learn that you have not fought with the likes of us.’”
(Al-Waqidi, P. 87 – 88.)

No question about it, repeated times, the provided records of “the Day of Badr” do note, at Badr the “Mighty Quraysh,” at the hands of the Muslim, suffered humiliation and defeat. Were set to flight. “Disaster” overtook them. “Calamity came upon the Meccans.” Moreover, “this disaster which had overtaken the pagans [at Badr] was the punishment which had been foretold in the Meccan revelations, and thus,” by means of that calamity and disaster visited upon the Quraysh, thereby, “ Muhammad’s claim to prophethood [sic] was verified.” “That was the ‘sign’ which confirmed his prophethood [sic],” provides author and scholar, Montgomery Watt.

(Watt, Montgomery, W., Muhammad at Medina, Okford, Clarendon Press, Great Britain, 1956, Reproduction; P. 16.)

The victory for the Muslims thereat over the larger Quraysh forces was compared to the day of deliverance known to the children of Israel when God led them through the Red Sea on dry ground. In that latter incident, as spoken to in the first section of this chapter, the entire enemy army that was pursuing the Israelis was swallowed up by the Red Sea. Not one of their pursuers survived.

Echoes of the same end, likewise, as provided in section one, told of force after force the Israelis met and fought against. Because, as stated, such was the directive they had from Jehovah God concerning the armies that came out to fight them, so too of the inhabitants of the cities and surrounding areas that the children of Israel had gone into to possess. For the reasons the Hebrew Scripture state, thus for the reasons cited in section one, if the children of Israel fully obeyed “the Lord God of Israel,” they left not a man, nor a woman, nor a child alive; as cited therein, they eliminated all that breathed.

Nonetheless, the Islamic sources compare the Muslim victory at Badr to the triumph and deliverance given to the children of Israel by divine intervention in that epochal Red Sea crossing. The numbers, with respect to enemy forces the Muslim met at Badr, said to have been somewhere in-between 600 -700, perhaps even as many as 1000; the number of Muslims there, somewhere near 300. The dead killed on the Meccan side, somewhere in between 45 – 74. Approximately about the same amount were taken as prisoners, according to most common historical sources.
(Al-Waqidi P. 28, 73 – 85; Ibn Ishaq, P. 295 – 339; Watt P.P. 10 – 13.)

Furqan” defined, as spoken to in chapter one of this series, is “discrimination, distinguishing truth from falsehood.” (Bewley, Glossary, P. 208.)

The Qur’an provides in Surat al-Anfal [8: 41 – 42], “On the day of Discrimination : the Day of Badr, when truth was distinguished from the falsehood,” when the victory went to “the believers despite their small numbers.” And “the rout” to the unbelievers — despite their “vastly greater numbers.”
(al-Jalalayn 8: 41 – 42.)

Watt provides, “furqan, in virtue of its connection to the Syriac [sic] word purqana, ‘salvation’, must mean something like ‘deliverance from the judgement’. This being so the furqan given to Moses is doubtless his deliverance when he led his people out of Egypt, and Pharaoh and his host were overwhelmed. Similarly,” he writes, “Muhammad’s furqan will be the deliverance given at Badr when Calamity [sic] came upon the Meccans.” (Watt, P. 16.)

Muhammad, putting to use what “Allah” allegedly instructed him to do. That being, in this instance, look to Moses, his mission, his experiences, and learn from it. Therein implying, for your ummah, you are the same, the equivalent to Moses. As we read in Surat ash-Shu ‘ara,’ when “Allah” sent Muhammad to preach to his tribe, he commanded him to use the sending of Moses to the children of Israel as an example of Muhammad’s mission. So too, as noted, use the experiences that Moses had throughout his mission as a template and as an example of the rules, guidance, and commands Muhammad was now to put to practice.

Because in the story and experiences of Moses, states Qur’an, for Muhammad, “There is certainly a Sign and lessons….” (Surat ash-Shu ‘ara: [26]: 67, al-Jalalayn.) “There is certainly a Sign in that which has been mentioned about Ibrahim and his people ….” (Ibid, 26: 103.)

Because, implies Qur’an, just as we now are sending you, before you, “We sent Musa with Our Signs and clear authority.” ( Surat Ghafir or al-Mu’min [40]:23, al-Jalalayn.) Again, implying, look to “Musa” and his experiences, because, “We gave Musa the guidance — in the form of the Torah and miracles — and bequeathed the Book (the Torah) to the tribe of Israel as guidance and a reminder for people of intelligence.” (40: 53 – 54, al-Jalalyan)

So, Muhammad, remain steadfast. Allah’s promise to help His friends is true,” and as was so with Musa and the tribe of Israel, the same now “applies to you and to those who follow you.” (Ibid, 40:55, al-Jalalayn.) Again, in Surat Fussilat, “Allah” directs Muhammad to look to and learn from the man, Musa and his experiences. (41:45.)

Because, as touched on earlier, according to the Qur’an, the message Muhammad came preaching was the same message that Musa preached. As provided in Surat ash-Shura, and elsewhere, what was allegedly revealed to Muhammad was the same that was revealed to “Ibrahim, Musa, and,” even, “ ‘Isa.” (42:13.)

For such reasons, Watt writes, “He [Muhammad] believed that the revelation which was coming to him was identical with that which had previously been given to Jews and Christians.” (Watt, P. 195.)

He believed that because, according to al-Qur’an, that is precisely what “Allah” told him.

As we read, “Allah” declared, “He has laid down the same din for you as He enjoined on Nuh – the first of the Prophets of Shari’athat which We have revealed to you and which We enjoined on Ibrahim, Musa, and ‘Isa.” (42: 13, Ibid.) Again, in verse 51 and 52 of that same chapter, speaking to how “Allah” speaks to his messengers, “… as was the case with Musa …. Accordingly, We have revealed to you, Muhammad….As we revealed to other Messengers — by our Command.” (al-Jalalayn.)

Speaking of the Shari’a that was, according to the Qur’an, enjoined on “Nuh … on Ibrahim, Musa, and ‘Isa,” which, according to the same book, was the guidance given to the tribe of Israel “for people of intelligence,” now, for the Meccans, the same has been provided. But now, as above mentioned, provided in Arabic.

As we read, from alleged Meccan revealed verses, this, Surat al-Ahqaf (The Sand-Dunes) 46: 12:

 

But before it (the Qur’an) there was the Book of Musa (the Torah) as a model and a mercy to the believers; and this is a corroborating Book –confirming the Books before it– in the Arabic tongue so that you warn those who do wrong –including the idolaters of Makka — and as good news for the good-doers — the believers. (al-Jalalayn.)

 

Much the same echoed in Surat az-Zukhruf, which states, “By the Book (the Qur’an) which makes things clear – makes clear the path of guidance and the Shari’a rulings needed for it.

“We have made it an Arabic Qur’an so that perhaps you, people of Makka, may use your intellect, and understand its meanings.” (43:3.) In other words, so that you can understand the meanings of the Book, as did the children of Israel when the “Book” was given to them in their native tongue.

Echoing much the same, again, from alleged Meccan revealed verses, “Allah” declaring of the guidance he gave to Musa, “We wrote about everything for him on the Tablets of the Torah,” therein, declared “Allah,” “clarifying all things which are needed for the din.” (Surat al-Araf [7]: 145, al-Jalalayn.) Therein providing, as stated, “all things which are needed for the din,” as in, the instructions that God gave to Moses, and Moses gave to Joshua, and on down the line of that linage. And those men and those who followed them thus acted upon those instructions. Thus, the instructions for the actions — actions needed for the deen — here in this chapter spotlighted. Acts of obedience to and implementation of that guidance “sent down.”

Because, declared al-Qur’an, “ We gave Musa the Book (the Torah)” and it was “complete … and perfect for him who does good and implements it, elucidating everything needed in the din, and a guidance and a mercy, so that perhaps they (the tribe of Israel) will believe in the encounter with their Lord at the Resurrection.” Thus, “ this (the Qur’an) is a Book We have sent down and blessed, people of Mecca, so follow it,” as did the tribe of Israel, “by acting on what it contains.” (Surat al-An ‘am [6]: 154 -155, al-Jalalayn.)

Act on the guidance sent down, as did the “tribe of Israel,” when God swore the land of Canaan would be theirs, and told them just how they were to go in and seize that land. As the Qur’an declares, in their obedience to that guidance, “The most excellent Word of the Lord … was fulfilled for the tribe of Israel on account of their steadfastness by the destruction of their enemies.” (7: 137, al-Jalalayn.)

Because, “We sent it down so you cannot say: ‘The Book was only sent down to the two groups (the Jews and Christians) before us and we were ignorant of their studies because it is not in our language and could not read it.” (Surat al-An ‘am [6]:156.) No longer, affirms the Qur’an, can the Arabs make that claim.

Speaking to the same, “This (the Qur’an) is a Book We have sent down and blessed, confirming what (Divine Books) came before it, so that you may warn … the Mother of Cities (Makka) and the people (the rest of mankind) around it. ” (Surat al-An ‘am [6]: 92, al-Jalalayn)

How in this world would “Allah” and thus his alleged Messenger, Muhammad, so solidly affirm they come confirming a book of which they are clueless of what that book holds? As stated, the actions of the children of Israel that are highlighted in this chapter are actions that are in obedience to what is in the said “Book.”

Much the same, this, a Medinan verse: “ We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an – in the Arabic language – so that perhaps you will use your intellect and understand its meanings.” (Surat Yusuf [12]: 2.)

Much the same claim, thus, allegedly, in a letter “the apostle wrote to the Jews of Khaybar,” in which Muhammad claimed, he was not only “the apostle of God” but also that he was the “friend and brother of Moses who confirms what Moses brought.” (Ibn Ishaq, P. 256.)

As shown in this chapter, part of what Moses brought was what he practiced at the base of Mt. Sinai. Part of what Moses brought was what Joshua and the Israeli army executed as they moved in and seized the land God had promised to them. Part of what Moses brought was what Elijah carried out at the Kishron Brook. Part of what Moses brought was what Jehu and his men practiced in Jezreel. In Samaria. It was in all they did to house of Ahab.

Thus, we note, in the Madinan verse, allegedly, revealed, “Allah,” seemingly coming to wits end with his patience with Jews refusing to accept and help Muhammad; he seemingly screams to them, “You who have been given the Book! Believe in what we have sent down (the Qur’an) confirming what is with you (the Torah) before we obliterate your faces….” (Surat an-Nisa [4]: 47, al-Jalalayn.)

All that guidance, the Qur’an asserts, Muhammad now came confirming it all. His guidance corroborating all the guidance that was given to Moses. The guidance, as stated, to which obedience to it produced the stories told in this chapter concerning the children of Israel.

Thus, we note, in the above-cited, the Qur’an states, concerning the “Guidance” from which Muhammad was allegedly preaching to the Meccans: “We gave it unto Abraham,” used it in guiding “Isaac and Jacob.” So too, with “David and Solomon … Joseph and Moses and Aaron.” (Surah 6: The Cattle [al-An’am] : 83, 84, Ibn ‘Abbas.)

“Such is the guidance of Allah wherewith He guideth [sic] whom He will ….” (6: 88.)

In other words, when “Allah” guides someone, he does so with the guidance given to all the above-mentioned, them, and their lineage. In other words, the Qur’an asserts, when “Allah” guides one, he does so, using the guidance with which he guided Moses, Jacob, Joshua, The Prophet Elijah, David, Jehu, et al.

“Those [ — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon, Joseph, Moses and Aaron, et al. –] are they unto whom We gave the Scripture and command and prophethood.” (6:89, ibid.) “Those,” as in those given the guidance provided in the Hebrew Scripture, as in those named above and all within the lineage of the sons of Jacob.

Now that same guidance – which included orders to take up their swords, for the “cause of God” — given to the Meccans, in their own tongue.

Moreover, “Allah” declares, “if these people, (the people of Makka) reject it,” refuse to obey it, thus refuse to assume the duty of taking up the sword for my cause, “We have already entrusted it to a people who did not.” (Ibid, al-Jalalayn.) A people who did not reject that duty, a people who happily accepted that duty and honor.

They were in Medinah. Except for few exceptions they would not come from the ranks of the Jews. They would come from “the Muhajirun and the Ansar.” (Ibid.)

Tafsir Ibn Abbas states it this way: “(… if these) the people of Mecca (disbelieve therein) in their way and religion,” [the way and religion of the People of the Book], “(then indeed We shall entrust it to) We have given success to follow the way and religion of the prophets to (a people) in Medina (who will not be disbelievers therein) in the way and religion of the prophets.” (6: 89, Ibn Abbas, P. 171.)

In other words, it was the practices and faith of the Jews that Muhammad urged the Meccans to embrace and put to practice. It was for that express end, declares Qur’an, that it (that guidance previously given to the children of Israel) was now provided in Arabic, leaving the Arabs now without the excuse of being unaware of the details of the said “Scripture.”

And as stated, if the Meccans refused to take up the guidance, and the duty, given to the children of Israel; part of that guidance and duty being, as vice-regents to the Lord, on his behalf wielding his sword, then, already, “Allah” had found others who would.

As cited, they were in Medinah. They would come from the ranks of “the Muhajirun and the Ansar.” (Ibid.) Not the least among them, Chief of the Aws, Sa’d b. Mu ‘ahd.

And already, he stood with his sword at the ready.

 

Khalid Masood, no Muslim, mere Muslim, or one among “those who believe”?

Chapter Five, Section II

 

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