Saul and the Arabs. Gabriel and Mary. The Pox. Prayer and Our Desires. by Pastor Walter Snyder Q: A friend said that King Saul was supposed to kill all of the Arab people and that his failure to do so is one of the reasons why God replaced him with David. She also said that the Arabs were considered a thorn in Israel's side. Is all of this true? A: Saul was commanded to put to death many of the tribes who lived within the territory God gave to Israel as well as others along its borders. This was because they were continually leading God's people away from Him and into immorality and idolatry. It was not a lack of love for these tribes on God's part; rather a bountiful love for His people led Him to call for this. He, after all, was not only interested in the Israelites, but in the One who would come from them, Jesus. God preserved His people in light of Abraham's Inheritance and to bring to pass the world's Hope. Some of these people were ethnically close relatives not only to today's Palestinians, Jordanians, Syrians, and the like, but also to Israel. After all, Edom (Esau) was Jacob's brother (Genesis 25, 27-28, 32-33). Moab and Ammon were descended from Lot, Abraham's nephew, through his daughters' incestuous relationships with their drunken father (Genesis 19). Technically, you might call some of these people "Arabs," although the term is often reserved for those actually living on or near the Arabian Peninsula. Q: In the story of the birth of Jesus does the phrase "sixth month" mean the sixth month of the Jewish calendar or of another, such as the Julian or a Greek calendar? A: Actually, St. Luke is most likely referring to the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. Events before and after Gabriel's visit to Mary indicate this to be the case. Following his encounter with the angel in the temple, Zechariah finished his priestly duties and returned home. Luke 1:24 says, "After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden." This involves her fifth month of pregnancy. Immediately afterward, Luke begins the Annunciation narrative with the "sixth month." As Gabriel completed his message to the Virgin, he gave this sign: "And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren." Thus, I think that the context of Luke 1 indicates that the best understanding of the sixth month is not a date in the Hebrew or any other calendar, but rather is marked from the conception of John the Baptist. Q: What Biblical references mention the "pox" plague? A: I searched a number of English, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Bibles. Not one referred to "pox" even once. Some commentaries used it to attempt to explain certain afflictions named in the Scriptures. Smallpox may have been one of the diseases manifested in the skin which Leviticus mentions. The word commonly translated as "leprosy" didn't necessarily mean the disease we commonly associate with this word (Hanson's Disease) but could mean almost any severe skin ailment, including smallpox, chicken pox, eczema, psoriasis, fungal infection, or other conditions. Pox generally refers to a disease which causes pockmarks in the skin. Its use became common during the Middle Ages, as smallpox became a greater problem with urbanization and increased trade traffic among areas of Europe. The disease was so serious that one of the most vicious curses one could call upon another was, "A pox on your house." Q: Why doesn't God always answer our wants in prayer? A: God hasn't promised to give us everything we want. Rather, He promises that He will give what Christians need when they ask in faith. Ultimately, what we need includes forgiveness of sins and a right relationship with God. Even the most basic earthly blessings, such as food, clothing, or health, are nothing if we are not in a right relationship with our Father in heaven. While we may not say it, we don't always mean, "Thy will be done." Our hearts instead say, "My will be done." Also, while we think that what we're asking concerns our most important need, it may be far from that in God's eyes. We may be asking for something that ultimately harms us. To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send email to askthepastor@aol.com. Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe." Ask the Pastor, © 2002 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others.