Bible in a Year Blog

2 Samuel 7:1-8:18 + John 14:15-31 + Psalm 119:33-48 + Proverbs 15:33
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Second Samuel 7 today is a big chapter!  God essentially establishes a covenant/promise with David. Verse 16 is a nice sum-up of God’s promise to David: “Your dynasty and your kingdom will continue for all time before me, and your throne will be secure forever.'”  The throne is secure forever because from the lineage of David comes Jesus.  Jesus is forever.  Genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3:21-38 will give you more details on this lineage.

It is interesting that God does not want David to build him a temple, but lets David know one of his descendents will in verses 12 & 13: “For when you die, I will raise up one of your descendants, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house–a temple–for my name.”  We will later learn the reasons for this in 1 Chronicles 28 verse 3 when David says – “But God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'”  David was a warrior – as is very evident in Second Samuel 8 today.  David’s purpose was to unite and establish Israel.  David’s son Solomon will build the temple for God. Also, a commenter on this blog in the past made this strong point: “The building of a temple for God is not referring to Solomon but still to Jesus Christ. The true temple of God is the Church of Jesus Christ. While the Israelites have tried to build God a temple it has each time been destroyed. Only the Church of Jesus Christ is able to stand for all time. While it is true later Solomon does build a temple I believe this passage is still referring to Jesus and the church he builds.”

I love David’s prayer of thanksgiving to God in 2 Samuel 7 verses 18-29 today!  How often do you pray prayers of thanksgiving like this?  After the prayer of thanksgiving, an image is below for Second Samuel chapter 8 verses 9 through 11 today: “When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the army of Hadadezer, e sent his son Joram to congratulate David on his success. Hadadezer and Toi had long been enemies, and there had been many wars between them. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze. King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had set apart from the other nations he had subdued.”

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s Second Samuel readings today titled “Building God’s House” is at this link.

New Testament – Wow.  Today’s John chapter 14 readings start off strong with a very short sentence of teaching from Jesus in verse 15 – “If you love me, obey my commandments.”  Not too complicated there, eh?  🙂  Really… it’s quite easy to understand.  And believe.  But to obey… hmmm…   I’ve been thinking about that “obey” word quite a bit lately.  In fact, it’s a word that has been spray painted around my neighborhood lately – “obey” – I think for some political statement reasons.  It’s not really a popular word.  But it’s a pretty straightforward teaching from Jesus.  Obey.  Obey my commandments.  “If you love me, obey my commandments.”  I really do believe that true freedom is found in this.  When we are obedient to Jesus’ teachings and God’s will in our lives, we truly will be living “free” lives.  I know it sounds like an oxymoron.  But I believe it is true.  The more we obey Jesus’ teachings, the freer we truly become.  Do you think this is true?  Are you obeying Jesus’ teachings in your life?  Do you feel freer?  And below is a little obedience humor for you based on verse 15 above… 🙂

Well, if we are wondering how on earth we can possibly obey Jesus’ teachings, He graciously answers this for us in the next two verses in today’s readings: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”  Basically, we cannot obey Jesus’ teachings on our own.  Using our own will power or smarts or strength, we will fail.  We need the Holy Spirit, living with in us, to give us the grace and strength to obey Jesus’ teachings.  The Holy Spirit rounds out the Trinity and leads us and guides us.  Are you looking for the Holy Spirit?  Do you recognize the Holy Spirit living within you?  Do you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you into all truth?

Verse 27 is a beautiful teaching from Jesus: “”I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”  Have you received the gift of peace from Jesus?  Do you have peace of mind and heart? 

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s John readings today titled “Having a Friend in High Places” is at this link.

Psalms – Today in Psalm 119 verses 47 & 48 we read – “I delight in your commands because I love them. I lift up my hands to your commands which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.” Do you believe it is possible to delight in God’s commands? Why might this be a good thing? Do you believe it is possible to actually love God’s commands? What are God’s commands? Where can we find them? (okay, I’ll give you a hint – the answer is all over Psalm 119 🙂 – God’s Word, the Bible is where we can find God’s commands) Do you meditate upon God’s decrees as found in the Bible? Do you love the Bible? This seems like a strange question to ask in some regards. . . but, maybe ask yourself this – do you love books in general? I think many of us would say we love books. (Maybe using the term loosely. . .) So, if we were to consider just one book that it would really make sense to invest our time in; to meditate upon; to read for all of our lives; to love – what would that book be? Why would it be that book?  Are you a bookworm when it comes to the Bible?

Today in Psalm 119 verse 37 we read:  “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”  Are there currently things in your life that you are spending time on – focusing your eyes on – that are worthless?  What are these things?  Do you want to turn your eyes away from these things?  Will you?  Do you believe that your life can be preserved by the Word of God – the Bible?  How will you continue to preserve your life according to God’s Word on a daily basis? Do you consider the Bible literally to be a “life preserver” for you in the midst of the raging rivers of life?  Will you hold onto this life preserver each and every day?

Proverbs – Wow… how powerful is Proverbs 15 verse 33 today? – “Fear of the LORD teaches a person to be wise; humility precedes honor.” 

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Second Samuel 7 reminded me of Delirious’ song “What a Friend I’ve Found (Jesus, Friend Forever):”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP0LcrQzkfo

Is Jesus your friend? Click here and meet your best friend forever!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on three verses of Scripture today: “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17 TNIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you have received the Spirit of Truth – the Holy Spirit – within you, through your faith in Jesus. Pray that you will love Jesus and keep his commands. Pray that you are rejoicing because the Holy Spirit lives with you and is in you today!

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Do you believe this Proverb to be true?  Does fear of God teach us to be wise?  Why would humility precede honor?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= John:

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth…..But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 14:26
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Two verses to make note of regarding the Trinity. In first the Father will send “another” parakletos (called to one’s side to be of help). Another is not different in Greek but of a “similar kind”. Jesus and Holy Spirit are of a similar kind as part of the Trinity.

Not to just be “with you forever”, but abide with you forever. The Spirit (“pneuma”) refered to in the Old Testament as the “Spirit of God”. Doesn’t sound like Spirit will ever leave you in this verse. The Spirit of Truth because God is Truth. Jesus is Truth.

“Before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon men and dwelt with them. But since Pentecost, when a man believes on the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes up His abode in that man’s life forever.”

MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

In the fuuture the Holy Spirit will be in you – The “in you” referred to in NIV is that Gk. word “en” that has the meaning of being immersed, enmeshed, intertwined with you. Pretty cool!

In John 14:26 the Trinity is broken down again Holy Spirit, Father, and Jesus. Note the teaching denoted here is a “complete teaching”. Mark down that in this first reference to “complete teaching” Holy Spriit will deal with the “past”. What Jesus said, how it refers to Old Testament, and the Old Testament itself.

John

====== Sue:

======== Lorraine:

I really loved that picture of the dogs & the one cat. It really says alot about obeying. It also speaks for Faith on the cats part. Obidence & Faith go together. You need faith that by obeying Gods word it will change your life. Your situation may not change but your attitude changes. Your love for Gods commandments grows because your Faith in Christ grows through the action of obidence in our life. With the power of the Holy Spirit in our life we can obey with a cheerful heart. 
Lorraine

======= Jeff:

In today’s reading John 14 in verses 16 and 26, we see the Holy Spirit called Counselor. In other modern Bible translations the words Comforter, Encourager, and Advocate are used here.
My Harper’s Bible Dictionary defines Holy Spirit as: the mysterious power or presence of God in nature or with individuals and communities, inspiring or empowering them with qualities they would
not otherwise possess. I like that definition.
To me, the Holy Spirit is a gift that God has provided to enable us to both feel and comprehend in our hearts, minds, and souls His truths. With this power, our abilities in our prayers, in our actions, in our love, in all aspects of our lives is nothing less than extraordinary.
One of the benefits I have received in my growth as a Christian, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is a dramatic increase in my ability and willingness to share my thoughts and feelings openly with others.
What does the Holy Spirit mean to you?
Yours In the Spirit,
Jeff

======== John:

Proverbs
“15:33 The fear of the Lord is the discipline that leads to wisdom. Humility is the way to honor.” – believer’s commentary
I like the way Believer’s commentary translates this proverb. Two companion verses that intimate a “way” to a desired end.
Reverence of the Lord is the way that leads to wisdom. That “way” is a discipline. It is so easy to fall out of that reverance, and follow the “flesh” – unless it becomes a discipline. If we revere the Lord, study and follow His Word, pray, worship, and obey we are on the path to his revealed wisdom. None of this is “natural behavior – it is a “discipline”.
One antonym of humility is pride. “Pride” is considered to be the root of a lot of sin. If we are in sin (constantly) it will be hard to have honor. If we are humble, and follow the Lord, our God, it will lead to honor – by glorifying His name and hence glorifying the Father.
John

====== John:

John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth…..But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 14:26
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Two verses to make note of regarding the Trinity. In first the Father will send “another” parakletos (called to one’s side to be of help). Another is not different in Greek but of a “similar kind”. Jesus and Holy Spirit are of a similar kind as part of the Trinity.
Not to just be “with you forever”, but abide with you forever. The Spirit (“pneuma”) refered to in the Old Testament as the “Spirit of God”. Doesn’t sound like Spirit will ever leave you in this verse. The Spirit of Truth because God is Truth. Jesus is Truth.
“Before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon men and dwelt with them. But since Pentecost, when a man believes on the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes up His abode in that man’s life forever.”
MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville
In the fuuture the Holy Spirit will be in you – The “in you” referred to in NIV is that Gk. word “en” that has the meaning of being immersed, enmeshed, intertwined with you. Pretty cool!
In John 14:26 the Trinity is broken down again Holy Spirit, Father, and Jesus. Note the teaching denoted here is a “complete teaching”. Mark down that in this first reference to “complete teaching” Holy Spriit will deal with the “past”. What Jesus said, how it refers to Old Testament, and the Old Testament itself.
John

2 Samuel 4:1-6:23 + John 13:31-14:14 + Psalm 119:17-32 + Proverbs 15:31-32
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Second Samuel chapter 4 verse 11 stood out as David said this to the 2 murderers of Ishbosheth: “Now what reward should I give the wicked men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Should I not also demand your very lives?”  Similar to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul and reported this news to David, David was not happy with the news.  This all reminds me of the old adage that you cannot fight evil with evil – you’ll get corrupted in the process.  These 2 guys murdered an innocent man, thinking they were doing a greater good for David.  David disagreed.  Are there times in our lives where we do something wrong / bad / lie / evil for what we think might be a greater good?  Aren’t we then corrupted in the process?  Do we go from left to right in this photo below? 🙂  (sorry, couldn’t resist this silly image!  On the website where I found this image, they labeled this photo, “The Dog I bought versus the Dog I got”… 🙂

In Second Samuel chapter 5 David is anointed King of Israel!  Israel and Judah are now united – but they will be divided again only a short 75 years later.  Verse 7 is the first time the term Zion is used in the Bible: “But David captured the fortress of Zion, now called the City of David.”  Below is a visual of Jerusalem at about this time that David conquered it from the Jebusites – and to the right the map shows the growth of Jerusalem just 50 years later in Solomon’s time.  (1000 B.C. to 950 B.C.) We’ll come back to this visual when we get to Solomon in our readings.

 

In Second Samuel chapter 6 when the Ark is brought back to Jerusalem verse 14 is phenomenal to imagine: “And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic.”  And David’s words in verse 21 are something for you and I to consider in our lives today – “So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the LORD.”  Are you willing to act like a fool to show your joy in God?  Have you ever danced before God with all your might?  Think you ever could?

Bible.org’s commentary on our Second Samuel readings today titled “A Place of One’s Own” is at this link and “When God Rained on David’s Parade” is at this link.

New Testament – I love the dialogue today between Thomas and Jesus in John 14 verses 4 through 6!  Somehow I didn’t quite remember the context of Thomas’ question setting up Jesus’ profound statement in verse 6.  Beautiful.  Jesus starts us off in verse 4 – “And you know where I am going and how to get there.”” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”  These last two sentences of Jesus’ we’ve probably all heard many times.  But how often have we asked Thomas’ question either to ourselves or to God or to now one in particular – “how can I know the way?”  Jesus answers this for us perfectly.  Have you ever felt in your life that you didn’t know the way? Do you believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?

Verses 12 through 14 today are so convicting for me – because I really rarely follow this teaching (or fully believe in it?) of Jesus’ – “The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!” Do you believe that you can do the same works Jesus has done, and even greater works?  I’ll confess – I’m not so sure that I do.  I mean, it’s encouraging to think that I could, even if I don’t fully believe it.  And, yet, I believe most everything else Jesus teaches.  Why would I doubt this teaching?  Maybe it’s because I have some sort of inferiority complex – or maybe I think it would be prideful to think this.  But Jesus teaches it quite plainly!  Or…  maybe…  I haven’t really asked Jesus for the guidance and wisdom to believe this – and asked for even just this in his name.

Bible.org’s commentary on our John readings today titled “Having a Friend in High Places” is at this link.

Psalms – Wow.  Psalm 119 verse 29 is powerful: “Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your law.” Do you ever lie to yourself? If you answered no, are you lying to yourself now?  🙂  I think that lying to ourselves is part of our fallen human condition.  I think we’re probably pretty good at it.  And I think that maybe the cure for this is even found in this same verse – the prayer of “give me the privilege of knowing your law.”   It is a privilege to know God’s Word.  It is a free privilege, but a privilege that I think we can often take for granted or simply ignore.  Through our study of God’s Word let us pray that we allow God to show us any area of our life where we might be lying to ourselves.  And let us allow God to redeem that area and give us the clarity of Truth.  Like this Psalmist, will you pray to God and ask Him to keep you from lying to yourself?  Will you pray this prayer often?

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verse 32 I think is one great reason for us to be in community with others: “If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.”  I think if we are not in community with others, we can avoid criticism.  Which is just as good as rejecting criticism.  But, if we are truly in community with others – and yes, community can and should be messy really – then we will inevitably be criticized at some point and in some way by those around us in community.   But this is a good thing!  We need to listen to correction from those around us.  We need to grow in understanding.  Let us live our lives in community!

Worship Video: Today’s readings in John remind me of the terrific Phil Wickham song “Battle Belongs:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtvQNzPHn-w

Are you fighting a battle? Click here for your Battle Victor

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 TNIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you are loving everyone you come in contact with in your life. Pray that the world will see you are a disciple of Jesus, because of your love for others. Pray that you will love others like Jesus loves you.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Are you in community?  A community that will actually constructively criticize you from time to time?  And will you listen to this criticism so that you might grow in understanding? What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Anka:

Mephibosheth’s nurse was one any mother would want to have take care of her son.A 5year old can be a burden to carry when you are running away from danger.There was also no prize at the end of the race because Mephibosheth had nothing to give anymore.His nurse’s devotion in the light of all the fights and murderings chapter truly is refreshing.
There was a time Michal loved David.When David became a fugitive he got other wives,Michal became wife to a man who loved her.In deutronomy 24,there’s a part that speaks about a woman who’s husband had sent her away not being allowed to marry her again if she had married another.True David had not divorced Michal but neither did he make any attempt to keep her AND now she was married to another man(who cried and wept when she was taken away).Maybe behind the disdain in Michal was pain,hurt.David claimed to be dancing for the Lord yet he hadn’t asked God before separating Michal or marry dozens of wives some of which were Israelites.
Sometimes I watch people go all “spiritual” dancing,rasing holy hands etc before the Lord in church then after church(or still in church after the worship)behave nasty…then I wonder if truly they had worshipped God or simply enjoyed a good tune in church.Michal may have kept household gods but David sure did nothing to boost her faith in God by his actions.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you MUST love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The way we treat others who are our brothers and sisters…the way we treat people in general preach louder sometimes than empty words we say rather than practice.I work in a mostly haotic environment where trying to answer many impatient people at once can really be a challenge.Many times I try to keep in mind that I ought to be light(my unsaved collegues sometimes act really nasty)…sometimes I fail and have a guilt party.Once a lady met me at a christian conference and hugged me saying she had come to my place of work and I was so kind and patient to her that she was certain I was a christian,seeing me at a christian conference confirmed it.
So many times it’s hard to understand that people come from different backgrounds,cultures etc and I get my patience stretched thin…it’s always good to note the world is watching us as followers of Chirst.Our ways may lead others to Christ,make already existing christians stumble or worse give the world yet another reason to despise Christ.I pray we all be filled with love for God and one another.

Greater works….I have grown to have a lot more knowledge of the bible in the past 4months,I have been convicted of many issues and (I hope)have been transformed to be more like my dad and big brother in heaven.If this is true for the 2000+ people reading this blog and they in turn share with others what they have recieved then truly we together are doing greater works….some are cutting up pieces of meat for others,some are making sure we stick to studying the bible,some make us smile as we read the posts and get encouraged…like John once told me,….Mike I’m sure God’s proud of you…and everyone here…

God bless you all
Anka

====== Kate:

Mike, the 1st part you spoke about brought to mind the ethics class I just finished. What you wrote is definitely Kantian, but then I think of people like the Ten Booms, Dietrck Bonhoffer, and people in the French resistance who took Jews by boat to England and if they were stopped by the SS had to lie, who disobeyed the government and even lied to its officials. Am I corrupting myself when I truly do lie for a GOOD cause. I know I’m opening a can of worms, but I wanted to see what everyone thought

Kate

====== Jim:

Anka’s insight to David being insensitive to his wife Michal is a view I hadn’t considered. I am convinced that our love for God is reflected in how we treat one another, espcially our loved ones. While David was certainly right to celebrate for the Lord, he dismissed Michal pretty quickly despite his long abscence (or maybe we just don’t have the whole story).
As for doing great works, as Jesus states in the NT reading today, I would have to say that what we consider ‘great’ and what God considers ‘great’ could be two different things. Some of us have more humble stations in life and by our standards it may no be great, but if you are obediant to God and love as God loves then we are doing great things. As Oswald Chambers reflected on in his daily devotional “My Utmost for His Highest”, if we lead lives in obediance to God, then we produce rivers of living water. Where that water goes to is not our business. In other words, one person you are kind to or share your faith with may go on to be the next Billy Graham or Pope John Paul II therefore affecting millions more. These are the great works I think Jesus talks about in today’s reading.
Have a good one.
Jim

====== Luch:

===== Brian:

I have so enjoyed reading the Bible every day. I have never taken such an awesome undertaking before. I feel that the Lord is working in my life as I do this. I applied this term for a Nursing School in town. I did not have faith in God to know that he was leading me in the right way. I have been chosen as an alternate. That is such awesome thing that God did for me. Out of 250 people that applied I was able to get on the list only by believing in God. This year has given me such a boost in my faith.
Thank you Mike
Brian

======= John:

Mike,
“Do you believe that you can do the same works Jesus has done, and even greater works?”
I think after a little Greek lesson : )  you might feel better about yourself in regard to these verses.
In John’s gospel when he refers to miracles or Jesus explicitly (and clearly) talks about miracles it is translated “signs” or “wonders”.
The Greek word for sign is: “Semeion” meaning a sign, mark, token that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others transcending the common course of nature.
For “wonders it is: “Teras” meaning portent miracle.
Neither word is used here in Chapter 14 of John. So what the heck is Jesus talking about?
In John when people talk about doing the works of God or Jesus talks of “work” the works of the Father – the Greek word is: “Ergazomai” meaning to work, labour to acquire. This word is also not the one used in John 14.
The word for “works” in John 14 in these verses is “Ergon” meaning business, employment, that which one undertakes to do.
People get caught up in miracles, and I believe (like Bob does) that miracles are a secondary issue. Something that Jesus is not talking about in John 14.
Note Bob’s point:
“The “high road” is to simply believe in what Jesus has said. The “lower road” is to believe what He has said because of the miracles He has done.”
In the Gospel of John, Jesus continually says he is about His Father’s business – ‘doing what his Father sent him to do.’
John 14:12
“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” – your translation
I like the NIV better in this case.
John 14:12
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” NIV
The disciples and we followers of Christ are to do what Christ was doing. Going about His Father’s business. What business? The business of Salvation – redemption.
Can you do it in a greater manner than Jesus? Let’s see- Jesus when He was on earth had a localized ministry. How many people can Jesus have personally worked with in 3+ years?
Mike your reach has exceeded Jesus, not only with your missions trips, work in New Orleans, but this blog is possibly worldwide.
In a normal lifespan, you may exceed the number of people reached for Christ than Christ himself. How many people have you led to Christ? How many seeds have you planted? If Christ had not gone to the Father, thus leading to your receiving the Holy Spirit – this would not have happened. That is why He had to go. For the sake of the apostles and our sake.
I think you vastly underestimate yourself in regards to this verse (John 14:12) : )
[Note: Of course in the near term to these passages, the apostles and their disciples absolutely went beyond Jesus in the Father’s business. Forget the miracles they performed, the far flung spreading of the Gospel, the writings, the establishment of churches, and the huge number of converts laid the foundation for the Christianity of today.]
John

======= John:

John 14:13-14
“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
Since I am into a Greek kick – I would like to look at these passages.
Two words – “ask” and “in are key to these verses.
“ask” is Gk. “aiteo” which can also be translated “require”.
“in” is “en” with the idea of being immersed in or “in the midst” of the object
(name).
So there are really three conditions to a successful prayer request:
1) ask or require something
2) while being immersed in his name (abide in Him and He in you)
3)that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
The asking and glory are in aorist tense – so they are completed action without respect to the time they are completed. The asking will or has occured and the Glory has been given.
Christ repeats himself in the next verse (for emphasis?) leaving out the glory part. The problem is with the word “anything”. To me the Gk. translation of “tis” would be better if it was a “certain thing”. People get the wrong idea if they see “anything” here in this verse.
However “anything” or a “certain thing” will be granted if you ask/require it while being immersed in Jesus. The idea being – you will not make foolish requests if you are truly abiding in Him and He in you. And of course the unspoken part is it must bring Glory to the Father.
John

======= John:

John 14:6
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” NIV
The famous passage from a Kempis’ Imitation of Christ is often quoted in connection with the Lord’s statement here.
“Follow thou me. I am the way and the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life-blessed, life uncreated.” [56.1]
Two things:
1) Ego eimi – I AM – I have tried to point out the many times this occurs in John – not just the famous “seven”. In Greek this can be expressed in one word – like many foreign languages the ending of “eimi” would itself indicate “I”. The fact that a personal pronoun, “ego”, is used is to make Great emphasis on the statement.
2) I have mentioned the book “Dinner with a Perfect Stranger” by David Gregory and the companion DVD “The Perfect Stranger” (roughly an hour). Since I am a Christian for only two years, I tend to focus on the Bible instead of outside Christian books – but this book is excellant. Not just for a Christian, but as an evangelical tool. It is faithful to the Bible, and the response by others has been enthusiastic, and it has opened the door for many conversations regarding Christ.
In it, Jesus has dinner with an attorney who is skeptic/detached from God. Set in a modern day restaurant and the story is told in a warm persoanl manner.
In the book and the movie, Jesus says (paraphrase):
‘there is no road to Heaven.’…..
…a road implies someone can get on it, and by their own feet and knowledge can find their way to Heaven (GOD)….
…but their is a “way”.
I can not recommend this book enough.
John 14:7
“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” NIV
Lastly, once again John uses the Gk. “ginosko” for the translated word “know”. It is repeated over and over again in John and other Gospels. “Ginosko” is that intimate personal knowledge that is symbolized by the coupling of man and wife – two become one.
The NIV here tries to bring out that aspect by saying: “really know”
Do you “know” Jesus, not “know, but “REALLY know”????????
John

2 Samuel 2:12-3:39 + John 13:1-30 + Psalm 119:1-16 + Proverbs 15:29-30
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link, or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Today’s Second Samuel readings are quite dramatic!  We start off with the beginnings of what I think you could call a civil war between Judah and Israel in chapter 2 verses 15 through 17: “So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David. Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords. A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.”

In chapter 3, it is interesting to see how David got so mad at Joab for killing Abner.  Understandable for many reasons – murder being the main one – but also Abner was working to bring David’s kingship to all of Israel.  Joab’s murder of Abner threatened the civil war between Judah and the rest of Israel to start up again.  To the right below is a wonderful image from an illuminated Bible from the year 1250 of David dining with Abner before the murder.  In the smaller left hand frames you can see David sending Abner back to Israel, and then in the lowest left hand frame you can see Abner stabbing Joab.

And below is an image of David mourning at Abner’s graveside as we read in 2 Samuel 3 verse 32 today: “They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside.”

Bible.org’s commentary on our Second Samuel readings today titled “Two Bald Men, Fighting over a Comb” is at this link.

New Testament – Wow.  Jesus’ teaching in John 13 verses 14 – 17 are so powerful today: “And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. You know these things–now do them! That is the path of blessing.”   Are you on the path of blessing?  What might it mean to “wash other’s feet” today?  Yes, perhaps at times it literally means wash other’s feet.  Could it mean other acts of service as well that perhaps we maybe think we are “too good for” or “above” in any way?  Jesus humbled himself to wash other’s feet.  Are you humbling yourself to serve others in ways that your ego might not like?

Bible.org’s commentary on our John readings today titled “Menial Service” is at this link and commentary titled “Judas” is at this link.

Psalms – Whoo-hoo!  Today we begin Psalm 119, the longest Psalm and chapter in the Bible! This Psalm is a beautiful meditation on God’s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith. Almost every verse in this Psalm mentions God’s Word.  I pray that this Psalm is encouraging to you as you read through the One Year Bible!

Today in Psalm 119 verse 11 we read: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Have you hidden God’s word in your heart? So that you might not sin against God? Do you realize that all sin is indeed a sin against God? Are you memorizing Scripture on a regular basis? And, more importantly, reflecting on Scripture?

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verse 30 today teaches us: “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.”  This is a great reminder to spread good cheer to others and to not hesitate in sharing good news with others whenever possible. It brings joy to the heart and health to the bones!  And, well, no, I don’t think this Proverb is talking about this kind of healthy bone below…  🙂

Worship Video: Today’s readings in John remind me of the Chris Tomlin song “I will Rise:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_2JpQNpSUA

Will you Rise when Jesus calls your name? Click here to Rise!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you are memorizing and meditating Scripture on a regular basis. Pray that you will not sin against God because of His Word and Spirit dwelling within you.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

2 Samuel 2:12-3:39

Something I have wrestled with for years. (You know it is hard to discuss David’s faults or character failures amongst a lot of people: they throw stones at you.). The wives, and they are only the ones he married in Hebron; the failure to restrain his nephews, the wavering between seeking God and allowing God to work to bring about what He declared to pass; but I think there may have been a little seed of vengeance that grew up in him. We see that tendency to drift over into vengeance in his dealings with Nabal. It is “the I deserve it mentality” we get. I call it a spirit of arrogance. It may not manifest itself all the time, but it is akin to the us-four-and-no-more mentality and the “posse” mentality we see in many celebrities. This should be no surprise to the readers because Samuel declared this very thing when he warned them what they would get with their king (1 Samuel 8: 9-18).

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, in the time when their foot shall slide; for the day of their disaster is at hand and their doom comes speedily. (Deuteronomy 32:35 AMP)

Has anyone ever wondered why God requires us to leave vengeance to Him? I believe something happens to us when we seek it, it turns us into little god like idols seeking to direct and control outcomes. David had a relationship with Saul; after all, he had been his father-in-law before David took back his daughter as his wife. (By the way the taking of a sitting kings wife, or even a dead one, was a proclamation in the ancient world that one was claiming the throne-thus the incident with Palti and the rift between Ishbosheth and Abner). David didn’t have a relationship with Nabal, but he had one with his sister and her kids. One should also note that David wasn’t well liked by his brothers so there was more than likely a rift that had built up over time kept them on the outs, thus we don’t really read about his brothers or their off-spring being in the picture.

If one is observant with family dynamics and sibling rivalry, you will find that the one “picked-on” will usually try to show his worthiness to gain some iota of recognition. I am not sure if this a problem per say, but it can lead to doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons. If we look at David as a type of deliverer, then the One True Deliverer did not try to gain His Families approval when he went about ministering.

Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat. When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:20-21 NET.)

While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.” To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” And pointing toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! (Matthew 12:46-49 NET.)

There is something that makes what Joab did a particular heinous crime. Hebron was a city of refuge (Joshua 21:13), a city set aside for anyone who had killed someone accidentally. Was Asahel’s death accidental? Wasn’t it done during a time of fighting? Is this something along the lines of, “You can dish it out but you can’t take it,” mentality? I do not believe Abner turned to face Asahel because the butt of the spear took him out not the tip. More than likely Abner thrust the sword attached to his side or even in his hand to try to knock the wind out of Asahel as he chased behind him.

Whatever way the death happened, Joab called Abner back into a city of refuge to kill him, a clear breach of the law.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== John:

Foot washing

I would like to comment more on the spiritual side of foot washing. Most commentators do not delve into this symbolism too deeply.

John 13:10
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”

[“The bath represents salvation and the foot-washing represents restoration. The “bath of salvation” is not something a believer takes every day. It is done once and for all when a person receives Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. From that time onward he is “clean” of sin–his sins are eternally forgiven and he is no longer “dirty” in God’s sight–because of his identification with Christ. This is the “washing of regeneration” that is mentioned in Titus 3:5. The Lord told Peter that he had already received the bath of salvation (v10). He was clean, and so were the rest of the believing disciples–only unbelieving Judas was not clean (v11)…..

….The believer’s permanent relationship to Christ is pictured in the bath. The believer’s daily fellowship with Christ is pictured in the foot-washing. The bath is for UNION–IN Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The foot-washing is for COMMUNION–WITH Christ (notice the “with” instead of “in” in verse 8). The link of union is so strong that nothing can break it (see John 10:27-29 and Romans 8:38-39). The link of fellowship is so fragile that an unholy walk will always break it (see 1 John 1:6).

How does the Lord wash the believer’s feet? It is accomplished primarily by the frequent application of His Word to our lives. The Word of God is the means by which we get the bath. (See Psalm 119:93, John 15:3, Romans 10:17, 1 Peter 1:23.) The Word is also the way we get the foot-washing. David said, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By living according to Your Word” (Psalm 119:9). Our Lord said that those who believed in Him would be sanctified (kept pure and set apart for God’s use) by God’s Word (John 17:17, 20). Our bath and our foot-washings are both accomplished through the Word of God! In Ephesians 5:26 we read that “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word.” How important it is for us to read the Bible every day!”] growing christians .org

Ingesting of water is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. External washing of water is representative of the “WORD”.

The bath is not baptism – baptism is the symbolic dying with Christ and being resurrected to a new life. The bath is symbolic of the one time cleansing of a believer’s salvation. Their is stll a war between the “flesh” and the “spirit”. In our daily walk, our feet get dirty with sin. By staying in the Word, and prayer (instructed by the Word) we can minimize dirt and cleanse what we do pick up on the “worldly” road.

Besides the physical act of servitude and humility, Jesus is telling the disciples (and all future Christians) “you should also wash one another’s feet”. You should be in fellowship and be in the “Word” with each other. You should not do this from a “holier than thou” perspective, but humbly with the attitude of love to help one another. Encourage, exhort, and edify one another in the “Word”. This should be done frequently as our feet get dirty with greater frequency than many (including me:)of us would like to admit.

John

====== Caryn:

======= Jim:

Although kings of Israel were specifically warned against polygamy (“He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray” – Deut 17:17), it was still socially acceptable at the time to help forged alliances with other states. David’s problems, however, were quite considerable with rape (2 Sam 13:14), murder (2 Sam 13:28), rebellion (2 Sam 15:13), and greed (1 Kings 1:5-6). The story of David’s reign is one of great struggles between pride and corruption with reoccurring returns to God. Abner took Saul’s only surviving son, Ish-bosheth, and made him king over Gilead. Abner proposes to Joab (son of David’s sister Zeruiah) when meeting on the battle field that only 12 men fight in order to save the lives of any more Hebrews, but all 24 died and warfare between the two nations ensued. Joab violated David’s commitment to protect Abner, and demonstrated a clear disregard for human life. And yet, even after the killing of 360 Benjamite forces of Abner, Abner ties not to fight the less-experienced brother of Joab (Asahel) in order not to kill him and talks Joab from continuing the battle. Abnor later makes a secret negotiation with David and talks the elders of Israel into rejoining Judah. Joab, who had boasted so well before now sees this relationship as threatening his position and decides to kill Abner (characteristically in the back). Not only did the law of Hebron not permit an avenging murder without a trial (Num 35:22-25), but David’s curse (v 3:29) also indicates that he did not consider Joab actions to be justified. The ensuing long civil war only ends when Ish-bosheth was assassinated by two of his own soldiers.
John’s Gospel also reports more of the content of Jesus’ instructions to His disciples than do the other three Gospels. Chapters 13-17 focus on His teachings on the night of his fateful arrest. Meals were common settings for teaching sessions. He demonstrated the need for humble service by washing their feet (so demeaning that by law even Jewish slaves could not be forced to do it – leaving only Gentile slaves), His teaching, and finally His death. Finally, the treachery of Judas is foretold, naming Judas to Peter. Christ had often spoken of his own sufferings and death with such a troubled spirit now displayed for Judas (see parallel passages in Mark 14:18-21 and Luke 22:21-23). All of our sins are the grief of our Lord. Judas’ treachery speaks to all who would partake of God’s mercies with ingratitude.
There are several especially famous message verses in the Bible, such as Hebrews 11:29-34 on faith and 2 Corinthians 8-9 on giving. Psalm 199 is famous for its message on “The Word.” Common access to the Bible only occurred about 200 years ago and so ancient Hebrews had to memorize and then pass on scripture orally. Psalm 119 was written with each of the 22 8-line sections opening with a different Hebrew letter to aid easier memorization and beautifully conveys the idea that the Word of God contains everything man needs to know along the blessed journey of life. This Psalm expresses that following God’s Law will provide the blessings and benefits of peace, power to resist sin, joy, understanding, strength, freedom (including from shame), hope, comfort, reverence for God, a thankful and worshiping heart, a clean life, and most importantly, a personal revival. In English faith and believe have a common root while in Hebrew truth and faith both come from “emet” and David repeatedly expresses the joy he finds in what he call, “the word of truth.” Today’s reading covers the first two sections (Aleph and Beth) where the author prays for obedience to receive the Lord’s blessing and to be cleansed by the Word.
Jim

======= Jeff:

In today’s reading John 14 in verses 16 and 26, we see the Holy Spirit called Counselor. In other modern Bible translations the words Comforter, Encourager, and Advocate are used here.
My Harper’s Bible Dictionary defines Holy Spirit as: the mysterious power or presence of God in nature or with individuals and communities, inspiring or empowering them with qualities they would
not otherwise possess. I like that definition.
To me, the Holy Spirit is a gift that God has provided to enable us to both feel and comprehend in our hearts, minds, and souls His truths. With this power, our abilities in our prayers, in our actions, in our love, in all aspects of our lives is nothing less than extraordinary.
One of the benefits I have received in my growth as a Christian, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is a dramatic increase in my ability and willingness to share my thoughts and feelings openly with others.
What does the Holy Spirit mean to you?
Yours In the Spirit,
Jeff

======== John:

2Samuel 2&3
For those that like detailed information in their commentary, Bob does a god job in the link Mike provides. Especially the two sections profiling Abner and Joab.
Bob also has a longer commentary on 2Sam 2-5 at the link below. One insightful comment that I had never thought of:
[GOD and SATAN]
“I am inclined to think God providentially removes Abner so that David will not become king thanks to Abner, the king-maker, but rather thanks to the King-Maker….Abner’s approach to David seems similar to Satan’s approach to our Lord in His temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-12). Like Satan, Abner claims that the kingdom he offers is really his (compare 2 Samuel 3:12; Luke 4:5-7). Abner wants David to enter into a covenant with him (2 Samuel 3:12), but when David does become king of all Israel, he enters into a covenant with them (the people) “before the Lord” (2 Samuel 5:3). Somehow, I see Abner’s offer as a shortcut, an easier path to what God wants to give David another way. If so, Abner’s death and the resulting delay in David becoming king make sense.”
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=560
[Note: David might have been releuctant to do anything to Joab because David was his uncle. Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were David’s nephews, the sons of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chronicles 2:16)]
======================================================
David Guzik has quite a few insightful comments at enduringword.com:
1)Ishbosheth the Son of Saul: Saul had three sons who died with him in battle (1 Samuel 31:6). There is no previous mention of Ishbosheth among the sons of Saul, so it is possible that he was an illegitimate son or the son of a concubine.
i. We shouldn’t forget that David was also a son of Saul by marriage. David married Michal, the daughter of Saul (1 Samuel 18:17-30).
2) There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: This shows how wrong it was for Joab to accept Abner’s appeal for a cease-fire at the battle of The Field of Sharp Swords. The fact was that they couldn’t just get along, and that there could be no peace between the rightful king David and the pretender to the throne, Ishbosheth. The cease-fire seemed to make things better but it only made things worse, and it caused the long war.
i. When we try to make peace between King Jesus and King Self within us, the result is a long, bitter war. It is so much better to simply surrender and submit to the reign of Jesus.
ii. “In the lives of many Christian people today there is raging, literally, a civil war. The flesh – the kingdom of Saul, struggles with the spirit – the kingdom of David, and the conflict is bitter. We do everything we possibly can to hold up the tottering kingdom of self, so that it might exist just a bit longer. If only we could preserve some rights; if only we could have at least part of our own way; if only we could keep this or that at any cost! We feel we must bolster up this kingdom of self, that we cannot let ourselves be crucified with Christ.” (Redpath)
[Regarding Polygamy]
3) Sons were born to David: During David’s seven-year reign in Hebron, his six different wives gave birth to six sons. This shows that David went against God’s commandment that Israel’s king should not multiply wives to himself.
i. David was wrong to have more than one wife. His many wives went against God’s command to kings (Deuteronomy 17:17) and against God’s heart for marriage (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6).
ii. David’s many wives were common. Adding many wives was one of the ways great men and especially kings expressed their power and status.
iii. David was troubled because of his many wives. Some wonder why the Bible doesn’t expressly condemn David’s polygamy here, but as is often the case here the Scripture simply states the fact, and later records how David reaped the penalty for this sort of sin in regard to his family.
[Retrieving Michal]
4) Give me my wife Michal: Why did David do this? Did he really need another wife? David insisted on receiving Michal as his wife again for at least three reasons.
i. David remembered that Michal was simply his wife by both love and right, and that King Saul took her away as part of a deliberate strategy to attack and destroy David.
ii. David wanted to show that he harbored no bitterness towards Saul’s house, and he would show this through his good treatment of Saul’s daughter.
iii. David wanted to give himself a greater claim to Saul’s throne as his son-in-law.
iv. “However distressing it was to take her from a husband who loved her most tenderly, yet prudence and policy required that he should strengthen his own interest in the kingdom as much as possible.” (Clarke)
5) Why wasn’t Joab pleased that Abner had defected and joined David’s side? There are at least three reasons for his hostility.
i. Joab feared Abner was a deceiver, a double agent working on behalf of Ishbosheth, the pretender king.
ii. Abner killed Joab’s brother, and Joab was the avenger of blood for Asahel (as described in Numbers 35:9-28).
iii. As the chief general of the former King Saul, Abner had a lot of top-level military experience. Abner might take Joab’s place as David’s chief military assistant.
[City of Refuge]
6) Joab took him aside in the gate: Joab carefully engineered this murder so the killing was done outside the gate of Hebron. This was because Hebron was a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7), and it was against the law for Joab, as Asahel’s blood avenger, to kill Abner inside the city.
[NOTE: Refuge seems to be once you pass through the city gate (Joshua 20:7). Being in the “midst” of the gate or “aside” in the gate is apparently not “in” the city.]
John

======= Vance:

John 13 (NKJV)
15
For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
16
Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
17
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
~~
Note: Note that we are to follow the example of the Lord Jesus expressed clearly in verse 5 (NKJV): “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”
I am amazed that Jesus washed ALL of the disciples’ feet—including Judas. Jesus knew that “the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him” (verse 2).
Jesus washed Judas’ feet. Jesus washed the feet of His betrayer—knowing that Judas was to betray Him.
From a natural point of view, a question comes to mind: “Why would Jesus do such a foolish thing?”
Because Jesus loved the Father, and because Jesus loved you and I so much that He gave His life for us as a blood covenant, as a willing sacrifice for our sins. Because though Jesus could have legitimately judged us for our sins, He did not.
Jesus wants us all to come to repentance and find life.
It is staggering to me that the so-called “discovery” of the “lost gospels” of Jesus, (i.e., Gnostic gospels) are being taught by some professors as the original gospels and that the New Testament documents are the heresies.
The Gnostic Jesus (a false version of Jesus), as well as people first-century Gnostics in the first century believed the human body was evil. This worked in either one (1) of two (2) ways:
1. Since the human body was evil and had no spiritual importance, it was all important to remove the human body to be pure.
2. Since the human body was evil and had no spiritual importance, it was OK to freely follow sexual desires as the spirit was the most important thing.
However, contrary to the so-called Gnostic “gospel of Judas”, Jesus did NOT ask Judas to hand him to the Roman authorities so that Jesus could be free of his “evil” and “defiled” human body.
Also, contrary to the so-called Gnostic “gospel of Philip”, Jesus did not have sex with Mary Magdalene or with other women because he viewed his body as not important.
Psalm 119 (NKJV)
9
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
10
With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
12
Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes.
13
With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.
14
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.
15
I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
16
I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
~~
Note: I really pray verses 10 and 12 for myself in this paraphrase:
“Lord, do not let me wander from Your commandments. I cannot seek You with my whole heart without Your knowing, praying, and obeying Your Word. Blessed are You, Lord! Teach me Your statutes!”
Worry, television or some other distraction are the gods of the flesh and of comfort.
We really need each other to follow the Lord Jesus with a pure and holy heart.
Vance

2 Samuel 1:1-2:11 + John 12:20-50 + Psalm 118:19-29 + Proverbs 15:27-28
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Today we begin the book of Second Samuel!  Below is an image of David being anointed king of Judah from chapter 2 verse 4 in today’s readings:

Second Samuel
Author: Unknown
Date: Probably tenth century B.C.
Content: Second Samuel covers approximately forty years, which is the bulk of David’s reign as king. It begins with David’s being proclaimed king and consolidating his position against others who claimed the throne. David moved the capital to Jerusalem, brought the sacred Ark of the Covenant there, and ultimately defeated the Philistines for all time. David’s troubled career is described in some detail, including his family problems (his son Absalom) and his personal problems (adultery with Bathsheba). A summary of David’s later years concludes the book.
Theme: The life of David is given as an example of good and of evil. The sins of David are exposed – so that too much trust will not be put in men. The victories of David are recorded – so that it may be seen what God can do with someone who wholly trusts in him. God used David in spite of his faults because he found in David a willingness to repent and start again, no matter how far he had fallen. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers “The One Year Bible Companion” pp. 5-6)  More commentary on Second Samuel is at this link:
https://bible.org/seriespage/introduction-2-samuel

A note on the Amalekite that comes to David with news of Saul’s death in Second Samuel chapter 1 today.  Many Bible commentaries suggest that this Amalekite was a war “scavenger” that was looking for treasures on the battle field from the dead.  Based on 1 Samuel chapter 31, it is thought that this Amalekite found Saul dead, grabbed Saul’s crown before the Philistines arrived, and made up the story of killing Saul to David because he thought David would reward him for killing who he thought was David’s “enemy.”  David’s reaction was quite the opposite than what the Amalekite thought it would be…  Bible.org’s commentary on our Second Samuel readings today titled “What an Amalekite is Dying to Tell David” is at this link.  Below is an image of David tearing his garments and lamenting the death of Saul:

Today in 2 Samuel chapter 1 we read about David’s lament for Saul & Jonathan. This year in going through the One Year Bible, I have really been intrigued by Jonathan and David’s relationship. They became incredible “brothers” it seems – much like we now have “brothers” and “sisters” in Christ today. And there seems to have been an amazing love between Jonathan and David – not sexual in any way, but a pure brotherly love. In verse 26 we will read – “I grieve for you Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful.” Personally, I have been thinking about this word “love” quite a bit in recent months. I don’t know if this is going to sound strange – I hope it’s a good sign 🙂 – but I find myself using the word “love” more and more often when referring to and thinking of others in my life. I have found myself saying recently, for example, “there are so many people in my church that I love and I believe love me.” I guess I’m getting to this stage in my life that may seem at first glance sentimental – but I think it is something more. I believe God is love. And yes, God is judge and many other things. But I do believe that love is a very godly thing. And I guess I’m getting to the point in life where I realize that I truly do love so many people in my life – with a brotherly or sisterly love – and maybe perhaps a few love me too. I pray this is the case in some way in your life? Are there people in your life that you love with a brotherly or sisterly love? Are there people in your life that were like Jonathan was to David? Are there people in your life where you are like Jonathan was to David? How familiar are you with love as expressed in 1 Corinthians 13? Did Jonathan have this type of love? Do you?  Below is a portrait of David & Jonathan by artist Guy Rowe:

Bible Project: Here is a terrific video overview of 2nd Samuel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvoWDXNDJgs

New Testament – Great words from Jesus in our John readings today!  I honestly don’t think I can add anything to what Jesus said in these readings today!  Please re-read this section again from John if you can and meditate upon what Jesus teaches us.  Bible.org’s commentary on today’s John readings titled “The Greeks Seek Jesus” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 118 is the last half of the psalm possibly sung by Jesus and the disciples after the Last Supper – see yesterday’s posting below for details.   What an amazing Psalm…  Verse 22 was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10 and Luke 20:17 and he used this verse to refer to himself – “The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.”  Do you believe this verse applies to Jesus?  Is Jesus the cornerstone in your life?

Verse 26 was the chant of the crowds as Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday – “Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.”   And verse 29 I’m pretty sure is a Michael W. Smith song – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”   🙂

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verse 27 teaches us today: “Dishonest money brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.”  Think there is truth in this Proverb?

Worship Video: Today’s readings in Psalm 118 remind me of the song “In Christ Alone.” Here’s a great live version sung by Kristian Stanfill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNRFumI2ch0

Who alone do you trust? Click here for Christ alone!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:28 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that your life is bringing glory to God the Father. Pray that you will obey the teachings of God the Son through the power of God the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. Pray that you would not sin, which brings glory only to the evil one. Pray that you would not worship the evil one by sinning. Sin is worship – of the evil one. Pray for your worship to be to God alone through your faith in Jesus and living a life of righteousness.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

I’m going to expose my thoughts about “Love” based on today’s Old Testament readings, David and Jonathan’s love for each other and Anka’s comments/thoughts.

Love, as mentioned by Jesus and as written about by Paul in I Corinthians chapter 13, cannot be an emotion that we so readily ascribe to it. Love, as per God’s definition and usage cannot be what we think it is a feeling of warm fuzzes.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 KJVR)

The reason I wrestle with our understanding of what “Love” is as God sees it is because we equate the evidence of “Love” with the absence of hate; bad feelings; dislike. Yet, in God’s Word we are told to hate/despise/reject sin (depending on the translation, our mother/father/sisters etc. Yes, yes I know that Jesus said He brought a new Law,

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44 KJVR)

All of these directives require us to do something, not to have or work up an emotion or feelings before doing it. I believe, as a book title so readily proclaims, “Love is a Verb,” it is a doing and NOT A being. For God so Loved …That He Gave. (John 3:16) He gave of himself, He offered up Himself to pay the cost of committed sin and for committing sin, to people who hated Him. I have heard it said that we need to send our feelings and emotions to school to teach them, to keep them under control, to not let them take us down the path of good intentions done the road to hell.

In the 14th chapter of Jeremiah in the Amplified Bible, there is a rendering of a text that I have to admit I don’t contemplate enough,

And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword; and they shall have none to bury them–them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their wickedness upon them [and not on their false teachers only, for the people could not have been deceived except by their own consent]. (Jeremiah 14:16 AMP)

Our emotions get us into trouble because we allow them to override biblical principles because we have a “feeling” about someone, be it love or hate, thus we become a party to our own deception. This may all be just a rant going nowhere but I believe I need to; we all need to examine our understanding of Love. Is it a Verb, Noun, Adjective or Adverb? Our we letting our emotions tell us, lie to us on whether we love someone or not. People leave the spouses because they don’t “feel” in love; we deny aid or help to people who we don’t care about and “feel” they are trying to trick us—all of this is based on emotions. And we should know that our emotions can “lie” to us. After all we know that we have brains but when is the last time you “felt” them. Feeling or not feeling something, by use of our senses, does not mean something does or doesn’t exist. We are a people of faith walking be faith, talking by faith and operating by faith not by emotions. To operate by faith we must now what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us; we must, like Jesus, only do what we see the Father do. Then and only then can we move away from sentimentality and emotional “love” into the God kind of Love. For God so loved the World that He Gave …”

Grace and peace
Ramona

====== Anka:

Sucking up…the Amalekite told a lie.Saul specifically didn’t want to be killed by an uncircumsised man…and he told his armour bearer to kill him not this Amalekite who probably thought David would reward him for killing Saul.David in spite of everything Saul did,loved God and this love extended to Saul.True God is love and unfortunately this is one area where sadly I fail.I had grown to distrust people so much that while I could go out of my way to help,sometimes even sacrificially….I couldn’t love.Jesus in his love for us came to dwell among us..gave us his time,gave up his comfort.I pondered in my heart the love between Jonathan and David.As Jim and John said…the bond between soldiers.I still love my life because I try my best to protect myself from being taken for granted or hurt by others,compared to David,Jonathan,Paul…I lack love and love my life.I pray God helps me let go completely so He can fully use me.I pray the church sees the need for unity in this spiritual battle…and most importantly…love like God meant it to be…not something that costs little but something that gives it all.
God bless you all.
Anka

====== Kristie:

Hearing of the death of Saul and the tribute he gives, shows David’s humility. He could have said, “Saul deserved this!”” But David looked to the Lord as the judge, and the honor he shows for Saul demonstrates this. What a great example for us all to honor those in authority over us, as well as to see the evidences of God’s grace in the lives of others rather than focusing on what is wrong.

Kristie

====== Sue:

Saul (means: asked) had four sons:
1. Jonathan (means: Jehovah has given)
2. Malki-Shua (means: my king is salvation)
3. Abinadab (means: father of liberality)
4. Esh-Baal (means: man of Baal) aka: Ishbosheth (means: man of shame)

In I Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39 he is referenced as Esh Baal.

Saul’s nephew,
Abner (means: my father is a lamp),
Ner whose name means “light” was Abner’s father and Saul’s brother), decides to make Ish-bosheth king, in defiance of what should have been common knowledge: Samuel had annointed David King at God’s direction. What was he thinking? And, why was Ish-Bosheth not killed in the heat of the battle when Saul and Jonathan died? What of Malki-Shua and Abinadab?

In John MacArthur’s Study Bible I was impressed with this explanation of the tribute David made to Jonathan and Saul; it helped to solidify the intent of the lamentation, and would like to share it with you all, but first a preface:

1:18 The Song of the Bow

This was the title of the poem in which the word “bow” may have been chosen with reference to Jonathan, whose bow is mentioned in verse 22.

okay, now the lamentation:

The Beauty of Israel

Literally, the gazelle or antelope of Israel, the chosen symbol of youthful elegance and symmetery, most likely referring to Jonathan. Thus, the song began and ended with Saul’s noble son.

High places

These were open-air worship sites generally established at high elevations. In this case the high place was Mt. Gilboa, where Saul had died.

How the mighty have fallen!

They were not only Israel’s slain “beauty,” but Saul and Jonathan were mighty men who had fallen in battle. This phrase is repeated as a refrain in verses 25 and 27.

1:20 Gath…Ashkelon

Two chief cities which together could represent all of the Philistine territory. Gath was situated in the eastern part of the Philistine territory, while Ashkelon was in the west by the sea. David did not want the Philistines to rejoice at the calamities of Israel as Israel had rejoiced at the defeat of the Philistines (I Sam. 18:7).

1:21 no dew or rain

David spoke a curse, seeking the absence of dew or rain upon the mountain where Saul and Jonathan died.

not anointed with oil

It was necessary in those times to anoint a shield with oil (see 21:5) to prevent the leather from being hard and cracked. But there on Mt. Gilboa lay the shield of Saul dried out, a symbol of defeat and death.

1:22 bow…sword

These two weapons were used by Saul and Jonathan with much power, accuracy, and effectiveness. It was also with the bow that Jonathan helped David escape Saul’s wrath (I Sam 20:35-42).

1:23 beloved

This generous commendation, including Saul who was seeking to kill David, showed David’s gracious, forgiving attitude — a model of gracious love (see Matthew 5:43-48).

1:26 Surpassing the love of women

This bond between David and Jonathan was strong. However, this does not mean that their friendship was necessarily superior to the bond of love between a man and a woman. The commitment shared between the two of them was a noble, loyal, and selfless devotion (see I Samuel 18:3), which neither of them had ever felt for a woman. Unlike love between a man and a woman in which a sexual element is part of the strong attraction, this love between these two men had no such sexual feature, yet was compellingly strong.

1:27 weapons of war

A figurative expression referring to Saul and Jonathan.

Sue

====== Romayne:

Sorry – did I miss something somewhere in this story – I keep looking for someone to point out the fact that NOBODY killed Saul – he fell on his own sword by his own hand, as did his armourbearer or was that my imagination:

1Sam 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

1Sam 31:5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

So when I read this portion today, I was sort of going What? Yet nobody so far has pointed this bit out about how the Amalekite was a liar, and David obviously was never provided the real truth either about it, although I doubt it would have made much difference in respect of him taking this guy’s life for his greed and errant attitude.

Just another reminder – was a time long ago when a bad attitude could get you killed – today it seems to be what drives our nations sadly, and we see much more spiritual death as a result.

Romayne

======= Romana:

>>Sorry – did I miss something somewhere in this story – I keep looking for someone to point out the fact that NOBODY killed Saul – he fell on his own sword by his own hand, as did his armourbearer or was that my imagination:>>

Romayne—The intent of this Blog is for us to focus on/write about the things that peak our interest, it is not to come to a consensus and do a group think, mental assenting on what any one person thinks we should focus on. Sometimes there is a common theme or thread that each person picks up, today there wasn’t.

The following is taken from Mike’s Welcome page, the first paragraph:

The purpose of this website is to encourage you to read through the entire Bible in a year! This encouragement to you is offered in two simple free ways – 1. This daily blog with reflections, commentary and questions. 2. Weekly free e-mails filled with encouragement, commentary, and questions.

Each of us comes from a different background, a different longitude and latatud on the earth and have experienced and are experiencing different things–each is at a different level. I personally have read though the entire Bible over thirty times so I was always uncovering, discovering things that I didn’t see the last time I read a particular passage.

Maybe no one spoke of Saul killing himself because you were suppose to bring it up : )

Ramona

====== Pat:

I can easily understand the relationship between Jonathan and David because God has blessed me with a best friend of 56 years. We are as opposite as day and night and often laugh and say if we weren’t best friends then we probably wouldn’t be friends at all. We have been there for each other during times of celebration, times of sadness, times of illnesses, even during times when we lived miles apart. We have been there for each other’s kids as they grew up and we are there now for each other’s grandkids. I like jeans and tees, hiking in the woods, volunteering on community projects, belonging to service organizations and having many friends. She likes fancy clothes, eating in glitzy restaurants, having a few close friends, and shopping, shopping and more shopping. I am positive and tolerant, and love sitting by the bridge and talking with the homeless people. She is more negative and impatient with others who don’t measure up to her standards. She loves singing solos in choir and I love being on the committee that scrubs down the kitchen. We both love the Lord with all our hearts and we love each other with that special love that God extends to best friends. God created us differently in personality but He gave us the bond of lasting friendship. They say that God gives you your family but you pick your own friends. I believe that God gives us our family but He also gives us special friends apart from sexual relationships and such was the bond of friendship between Jonathan and David. I pray that each of you has or will such have a friendship blessed and bonded by the Lord.

What is love? Love is a bond put between people who take joy in being in each other’s company without having to modify their actions. Love is knowing that other people are special and worthy just as they are. Love is a gift that God gives you, which allows you to appreciate those that you share this earthly life with. Love is the way God made us so that we not only enjoy other people but are there to assist them however possible. Love is the spirit of God!

God Bless!
Pat

======= Dottie:

God has blessed me so much with many brothers and sisters in Christ that I truly love and know they love me. When I first moved back to the US after living in Denmark for 3 years, I didn’t know anyone and I asked God to give me friends, Godly friends and He has fullfilled that 1000 times over. I would never change anything if I had to do it all over again, my experiences and relationships I have been blessed with in these friendships is prceless. I have learned from these friends an abundance of wisdom and knowledge and been inspired when I could not feel an inspiration in me. I am thankful that God knw what we need and always provides for us. Praise God.

Dottie

====== Katie:

I have been blessed abundantly with love from family and friends (that are like family). I love them so for sticking with me through so much. My testimony is CRAZY, but certain people have carried me through so much. Really, there are no words to describe how wonderful they have been to me, all I can say is that their love has changed my life.

And now, I’ve found a couple new friends here on OneYearBible that I feel love for and it seems like when David and Jonathan first met each other. We don’t really know each other all that well, yet, but there seems to be a special blessing to the friendships as they grow.

God is so very good to me, and I am blessed.
God’s love is wonderful and amazing.
Amen

Katie

====== Mary:

I have been thinking these past few days about love. My idea of love is a little skewed I think….and I have been questioning if it is sincere. After some time of reading and prayer, and being still I have realized that if I am seeking God frist in all things, the love I have for others is genuine. Not controlling, not self-serving, not empty. I can see the difference in the effect is has on others and on my heart. Pretty cool. He is Holy and gracious. Thank you for being deligent in these daily studies my friend. In Him.

Mary

====== Jit:

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life”( John 12:25) Jesus seemed to suggest that our present existence is not important and for some fanatics they would blow themselves up for this eternal life. The difference between Jesus and these fanatics is Jesus did not blow others up in the process.

Jit

======= Peter:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your insights–very helpful! I really like Proverbs 15:28: “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.” I pray that the Lord will help me to think before I speak this day!

Peter

====== Raeann:

The book of 1 Samuel shows how GOD places ordinary people in extraordinary positions in this world in order to fulfill the will of GOD for humanity. As a new born baby Samuels mother gave Samuel to the priests to raise in the house of GOD to thank GOD for giving her a son when she had been barren her entire life. As Samuel grew GOD gave him the ability to discern good from evil and to make wise decisions for his people. Israel wants a king to be like all of the other nations around them. Samuel tells the people that this will only lead to the people turning away from GOD and turning to paganism. Samuel selects Saul to rule over the people and to be Israel’s first king. Saul leads Israel in several victorious battles against the surrounding kings. Saul is rejected as king when he refuses to do what GOD commands him regarding the spoil of war. David a sheep herder kills Goliath and is anointed the new king of Israel by Samuel. Saul hates David who he tries to kill on several occasions. Jonathan Sauls son loves David and he tries to protect him and keep him safe from harm. When David catches up to Saul in the mountains David in his compassion for Saul spares his life. Saul eventually dies in battle against the Philistines. The book of 1 Samuel shows how GOD places ordinary people in extraordinary positions in this world in order to fulfill the will of GOD for humanity.

Raeann

======= Frederick:

Psalm 118:26

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.

When Jesus was about to be crucified, he told his disciples and the surrounding people that unless the Jews said that, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.” Then He will return for a second time. This is so important that the Jews, his people to know God and acknowledge Jesus in this end time.

Frederick

====== Bob:

John 12:20- 26 I have a few points to bring up about this Gospel Message and I am not sure where the source comes from (Chuck Swindoll ?) In our circle of friends, it is good to get to know those who know Jesus. Our desire at any church event is to see Jesus. Notice how two are better than one as Philip and Andrew go see Jesus. (Math 18:19). This is encouragement and direction for the Greeks (us), when we desire acquaintance with Him. “The harvest of the Gentiles, the multiplying of the redeemed was the magnifying glory of the redeemer.”

Bob

====

The Making of a Man of God by Allen Redpath, is a wonderful book on the relationship between David and Jonathan. It’s an old book, but a real treasure if you can find i
“It takes more grace than I can tell, to play the second fiddle well”

William

====== Imja:

Jonathan loved David…but, he also loved his father and knew him as God’s anointed King Saul. Jonathan filled his duty as son and a commanding officer by going with King Saul into battle. God knew this, and that’s why Samuel gave that message to Saul at the witch at endor. It’s sad but, like Charles Stanley says…there are consequences to sin. God will forgive, however, we still are responsible for our actions. But, God is good! If Saul had only fully obeyed the Lord…

If we…

Imja

======= Ramona:

2 Samuel 1:1-2:11

In the story of the Talents, each man was given according to his ability and the “Master” expected a return on what He had given them based on their ability (Matthew 25:14-30). I will ask a question and it is a rhetorical question but it is something that has bothered me for many a year, or at least it has peaked my interest for a long time.

What happened to Jonathan? I know that he died along side his father, but what happened to him, why did he end up dead along side his father? What happened to his commitment to David?
Then Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much. So Jonathan told David, “My father Saul is trying to kill you. So be careful tomorrow morning. Find a hiding place and stay in seclusion. (1 Samuel 19:1-2 NET.)
Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him through God. He said to him, “Don’t be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.” When the two of them had made a covenant before the LORD, David stayed on at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house. (1 Samuel 23:16-18 NET.)

I could be totally off base but how does someone make a statement that he would be second in command knowing that the first in command is being hunted down like a dog then go back to his house? How often do we know that something is supposed to be yet we continue hanging out in the wrong place? Was Jonathan supposed to die that day, along with his father because he was never suppose to be second in command?
Was he looking back towards his old life instead of looking forward to a life with David as his leader? Do we set out to “plow the field” while looking back toward our house?

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62 KJVR)

Just something that makes you go, Hmmm!

Grace and Peace,
Ramona

======= Anka:

Greeks seeking Jesus caught my eye,His reply to them even more so.From my little knowledge of history,at that time,the jews were under the romans…they were separate,sometimes viewed as proud because of their practices.They wouldn’t eat certain foods,worshipped only one God who’s commands may have not been too popular among pagan nations.Yet some gentiles were drawn to them,these greeks came to partake of their passover and worship at their feast.Very much like Ruth who chose to worship the God of Israel and left behind her idols,her ways…everything to be joined to the Lord’s people.
Jesus’ reply to them was simple”He who loves his life loses it, and he who (J)hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal”
“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and (K)where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will (L)honor him”…..
Sometimes we think we can have it both ways..say we’re following Jesus but refuse to die to self,refuse to accept His ways…not wanting to be unpopular,seeking to be part of the world as well as part of the body of Christ…These Greeks came to worship the God of Israel among His people,in His temple…not caring what people said or thought,leaving behind what they were taught and coming to listen to what Jesus said….I pray we like Ruth choose to follow Jesus all the way,leave our own idols and practices behind…letting the Comforter and Teacher lead us as we follow.
God bless you all
Anka

======= Dee:

Wow good analogy! Because usually when a statement is recorded in the Bible it usually comes to pass..however Jonathan’s words were on deaf ears.

2nd Sam 13:1-2:11
What I thought was sad was the Amelekite was trying to get approval and lied to David today saying he killed Saul. In turn his lie was the death of him.

John-12:20-50
Something interesting I never heard is Lord talking to the Father and the thundering noise the people heard about God saying it will be glorified- He did before and it will be done again!!

Psalm 118 : 19-29
Last part of Psalm 118, an urgency, a pleading –25 verse: OH Lord, save us
–Oh God give us success
–28–verse: You are my God, and I will give you thanks
You are my God, I will exalt You..
Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.

Then in Proverbs: 15:27-28
Especially 28: fave verse and feel like it relates to what I am going through with coming to the conclusion that one chapter of my life is over and God is plotting a new course at a new school and I have been torn twice and finding the right words to let go..

The heart of the righteous weighs its answers.

Amen!

Dee

======= Jim:

The break between the two books of Samuel is purely artificial. IMHO, the Amalekite was likely just one of those that came after the battle with Saul to strip the slain and had the good luck to come upon Saul and get his crown and bracelet and then the poor luck to come to Ziklag to see what he could likewise find in that burnt city only to find David had returned and only made up the story of killing Saul to bring David his crown to win favor. If his story was true, then again, it would be a good example of how being told to do something wrong by a civic or moral authority is no excuse. I personally know of a governmental contract manager that didn’t believe a subcontractor could afford a very low bid and hired a security consultant to break into their financial systems. The guy was probably sloppy enough to break into the administrative account from a lesser one assigned to him because he foolishly thought being hired by the US government would protect him – it did not. The story of being commanded to kill Saul likewise did not save this Amalekite. Again I ask: if this is the kind of punishment handed out to an unbeliever, imagine how much worse waits for believers committing similar crimes. For example, Christian statistician George Barna found that among American Christian adults who said they had given ten percent or more of their income to churches and related ministries in the past year, an examination of their finances showed that two-thirds of those people were lying about their generosity (such as Ananias and Sapphira in Act 5 that were slain by the Lord for only deceitfully keeping a portion of their own property for themselves). BTW, only 2-3% of Christians tithe as compared with 4-5% of Atheists that give a tenth to non-profit organizations.
Both Saul and David were both built and equipped to be great leaders. The difference was that Saul fashioned his functions from this form while David did it completely from God. Read 2 Samuel 2:1 -> David, “Hey God, should I go to one of the towns of Judah?” God, “Yep!” David, “Which one?” God, “Go up to Hebron.” Are your conversations with God this clear? Saul’s weren’t. When a church fails to focus on God, the hearing of churchgoers is suppressed. God speaks, but they can no more hear Him than can a man lying in the gutter in a drunken stupor. To quote Francois Fenelon, “How rare it is to find a soul quiet enough to hear God speak.”
David was anointed three times: 1) by Samuel in secret to indicate God’s purpose, 2) by Judea for the partial accomplishment of that purpose, 3) 7.5 years later by Israel when Saul’s son died and the Jews were reunited for the completion of God’s purpose (2 Sam 5:3). Ish-bosheth would have been 35 at Saul’s death while 2 Samuel 2:10 says that he began as king of Israel suggesting a five year period of turmoil before his short reign began although the long war in 2 Sam 3-4 and Abner’s conspiracy would imply a period of two years. Abner’s expedition to Gideon may have been for the purpose of shifting resources to the tribe of Benjamin to prepare for the war (or “to go out” in 2 Sam 2:12-13) with Judah.
Only John mentions the Greek friends of Philip in v 12:20. They had undoubtedly heard of Christ’s miracles and were perhaps of prophetic significance that Jesus by His death on the cross will provide eternal life to both Jew and Gentile. Christ died for me, paying the price of my sin, and there is no more price to be paid. I am free. I am no longer under the condemnation of God. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men to myself” (v 12:32). While ALL are natural-born sinners (Rom. 3:23; 5:12; 1 Tim. 2:4; Psa. 51:5), God commands ALL people to repent and receive Christ (Acts 17:30-31; I John 3:23; Luke 13:3), Christ as “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42) gave Himself a ransom for ALL (I Timothy 2:6), and He saves “as many as” receive Him (John 1:12). 1 John 2:2 states that Christ “is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for THE WHOLE WORLD,” and 1 Timothy 4:10 describes God as “the Savior of ALL men.” This concept was, in fact, Jacob Arminius’ strongest objection to TULIP Calvinism. Even as there is no way to the Father except through the Son, though, the only way to the Son is by the Father (v 6:44). But God allows the hearts of those who have repeatedly reject God to harden to the truth (Isaiah 6:10). Come freely with the sacrificial victim; make it ready; bind it to the altar (Psalm 118:27).
Jim

======= John:

Good Analogy
“Suppose someone came [to your house] at three o’clock in the morning and put a ladder up to the second-floor window and began to climb in, what would you do? ‘Well,’ said the man, ‘I suppose I’d shoot him.’ I said, ‘What right have you to shoot a man? After all, can’t a man come into your house in any way he wants to come?’ He said, ‘No.’ Then I said, ‘You are saying that you can get into God’s heaven any way, any time – by any back window that you choose. God Almighty has made definite, positive and absolute rules for entering His heaven – rules as definite as our civilization makes – if you go to somebody’s house you ring, you knock. … Make a noise and come up in the way that house owner decides…. God has done the same thing. He says that anyone may come in, but they must come [by his way: by the cross of Jesus Christ embraced by a faith that is willing to bear any earthly loss to have him and his salvation].’”
We do not get to make the rules. Too often in reading the Old Testament and regarding Salvation mankind wants to decide what is “RIGHT” or “Just” or “what makes sense”. People make these decisions based on their perceptions of right and wrong (flawed as they are), their intellect (small as it is compared to God), or their “feelings” (see Ramona’s post).
It just doesn’t work that way, nor should it. I could never have made the decision for Salvation unless I put aside my human foibles and just read the Bible to see what IT says regarding everlasting life. Once I acknowledged what the Bible says in John and Romans (I only read those two chapters, but did it several times) – it was decision time.
Did I (Do you) want to do it your way and take a chance on getting it wrong for an eternity, or did I (Do you) agree to do it God’s way?
It may be “WHOMSOEVER WILL”, but it is by God’s rules and conditions – not by our just wanting to feel good about our faith or getting “fire insurance”.
Once saved – it does not get any easier.
“People say to the Lord, “I will believe in you, I will follow you, I will serve you, if you do this or that for me.” But the Lord says, “No, you give up your life, your hopes, your plans – you surrender them to me – and I will give you your life back far better than you had it before. But you must make that surrender. And you must make it blind, by faith in other words, without the help of first being able to hold in your hand the blessings that I promise to give you. YOU CANNOT BARGAIN WITH THE LIVING GOD AND WITH THE REDEEMER OF YOUR SOUL. You must trust him. That is faith and that is why comparatively few people live by faith. It is a daring business. It is absolutely the right thing to do and the sensible thing to do – for Christ has risen and God has spoken – but it is in no case the natural thing to do!” – ibid. [Caps mine for emphasis]
John

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13 + John 11:55-12:19 + Psalm 118:1-18 + Proverbs 15:24-26
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – We finish the book of First Samuel today!  Second Samuel is up tomorrow!  First Samuel chapter 29 verse 8 read a bit strange to me: “”What have I done to deserve this treatment?” David demanded. “Why can’t I fight the enemies of my lord, the king?””  It seemed odd, at first read, that David would say this to King Achish of the Philistines.  Commentaries suggest that David may have purposefully made an ambiguous statement here, such that Achish (and maybe us) would think he was referring to Achish – when perhaps he was referring to God or Saul as David’s “lord, the king.”  With David’s madman acting and wisdom, this ambiguous type statement with another meaning would not be surprising…

In First Samuel 31 today we read about the death of Saul.  At the very end Saul did what he always did – took things into his own hands.  Relied on himself.  Fell on his own sword.   Perhaps sometimes in our lives today we are not so different from Saul.  Maybe we try to take things into our own hands.  Rely on ourselves.  But hopefully never fall on our own swords…   We should instead be leaving things in God’s hands and relying fully on God.

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s First Samuel readings titled “From “Playing Both Ends Against the Middle” to “Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place”” is at this link and “From Tragedy to Triumph” is at this link and “Saul’s Death Wish” is at this link.

New Testament – John 12 verse 10 stood out to me today – somehow I hadn’t really noticed this verse before – “Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.”   Lazarus was raised from the dead and they wanted him dead again…  sad…  The miracle had caused many to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.  Not surprising that those in that day who were against Jesus would also be against those close to Jesus.  Think there might be some correlation in this regard in our world today?  Is it possible that the closer we get to Jesus, the more the Enemy might come up against us in various ways?  It cannot defeat us with God on our side.  But it may come after us.  I’m a day late in our readings on this painting below from the year 1630 of “The Raising of Lazarus” by Rembrandt:

I like verse 19 today!   “Then the Pharisees said to each other, “We’ve lost. Look, the whole world has gone after Jesus!””  Unfortunately it was a bit of an exaggeration at that time and the 2,000 years following.  But maybe in the future?  How are you part of the Great Commission today?  An image is below for verse 15 (originally from Zechariah 9:9) – “”Don’t be afraid, people of Israel. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

Bible.org’s commentary on our John readings today titled “The Sweet Smell of Love and the Stench of Greed” is at this link and “The Un-Triumphal Entry” is at this link.

Psalms – I came across a wonderful speculation on Psalm 118!  Zondervan’s commentary suggested that Jesus and the disciples sung this psalm/hymn at the end of the Last Supper.  Matthew chapter 26 verse 30 tells us – “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”   Adds a bit of a new dimension to this Psalm, no?  The reason for this speculation is because this is the final Psalm in the Egyptian Hallel of Psalms 113 through 118.  These Psalms were used in Jewish liturgy at the great religious festivals of Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication, Weeks, New Moon.  At Passover Psalm 113 & 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 – 118 were sung after the meal.  Perhaps, even after the Last Supper by Jesus and the disciples?  Below is Russian artist Simon Ushakov’s “The Last Supper” from the year 1685 –

Verse 8 in this Psalm stands out to me big time: “It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people.” Kind of strong words I know…  but what do you think?   Might people, on occasion, let you down?  Obviously, we know the answer to this one.  People will let us down.  Even our closest friends and family at some point will let us down.  However – I don’t think this means we give up on investing and loving friends and family!  It just means we should not be surprised when someone lets us down.  That’s human nature.  None of us is perfect this side of heaven – you will obviously let people down too.  Realizing this, I think all of us should be prepared to forgive others and to ask for forgiveness of others.  However, what do you think on this question:  Will God ever let you down?  Will Jesus ever let you down?  Please know He won’t!  In fact, I believe that He’s holding you up right this very moment…

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verse 24 is a beautiful meditation – “The path of the wise leads to life above; they leave the grave behind.”  Are you on the path of the wise?

Worship Video: Today’s readings in John about Jesus remind me of the Passion/Christy Nockels song “Let it be Jesus:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2h9Hm9JZho

Have you Let it be Jesus? Click here and Let it Be!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me (Jesus).” John 12:8 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you love Jesus above all else. Pray that you will indeed love and serve the poor in our world, but won’t love this service to the poor or anything else in this world above your love for Jesus. Pray that you will always have Jesus in eternity. And pray that the poor will too, through their saving faith in Jesus. Pray that you realize we are all truly poor if we are not in a saving relationship with Jesus.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13

Even when we have made alliances with the “enemy” for what we think is self-preservation; even when our actions cause pain and grief to others as well as ourselves—the city of Ziklag being taken, burned to the ground and everything that was in it carried off, God stills fights our “other” enemies and restores everything that has been stolen. Interestingly enough the town/city of Ziklag was not a town that should have been possessed by the Philistines, that city was part of Judah’s inheritance that had been taken from them during the time of the Judges. (See Joshua 15:21-31 for Judah’s inheritance) Therefore, God will restore all things lost by previous generations.

There is something here that I always considered just part of the narrative, the finding of the Egyptian in the desert as David and his men chased after the Amalekites. Now I see that it points to Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan. They army, like the Samaritan, was on a mission. In the King James Translations the use of the words, “by chance” describes how the priest and the Levite happened upon the man left half-dead; however, the Samaritan was on a “journey.” When we are on a journey, we will meet up with the people we are called to minister to; however, when we are traveling “by chance” we will pass folk by. Meeting up with those people and ministering to them will send us down the correct road that leads to complete restoration.

Some of the men of David’s army showed mercy to this Egyptian they found in the desert. They brought him back to David, they fed him and gave him something to drink, and they restored him. That act of kindness led them to the men they were seeking. Usually armies, especially back then, were ruthless in their pursuit. If you happened to be in there way while they were on the move, their feet, horses and chariots would crush you. What happened to the Egyptian is a clear “type” of Christ’s mercy, or the Mercy of God.

The second thing I observed, and am rethinking in a different way is Saul’s suicide. I had come to think that Saul was a coward and didn’t want to suffer the pain of a lingering death, but now I’m wondering if what he did was a continuation of his rebellion to the Word of God. Samuel had told him, the night before:

Since you did not obey the LORD and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this thing to you today. The LORD will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!” (1 Samuel 28:18-19 NET.)

My thinking is this: Did Saul fall on his sword thinking that in so doing he would place his dying, and how he died, in his own hands and defy the words spoken by the prophet Samuel. Hmmm.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== Marilyn:

======= Jim:

God used the suspicious nature of the Philistines to deliver David from his impossible choice to either fight Israel or being killed by Achish. The Philistines had good reason to fear David’s defection since Hebrew mercenaries had turned on them before (in v 14:21) and from Israel’s popular taunt song of Saul’s thousands and David’s ten thousands. This gave them chance to chase the Amalekites who took their wives and children to make into slaves (although David’s troops considered stoning him for the “bad luck”). Unlike Saul, however, David always knew where to turn and was confident of God’s eventual deliverance. David desire to share the spoils with those that did not fight and Judah could have been political but more likely was a result of his understanding that his victory did not belong to him or his army but to God and all His children. The men of Jabesh Gilead risked their lives to recover the bodies of Saul and his sons out of gratitude for Saul previously delivering their city. Cremation was not the normal Jewish practice except for criminals (as in Josh 7:25), but perhaps it was done to Saul’s body due to the severe mutilation done to the corpses by the Philistines. David will later move the buried bones to Benjamin (2 Sam 21:11-14).
Yesterday’s Samuel’s spirit’s prophecy was fulfilled today with the death of Saul and his sons (including Jonathan), except for Saul’s son Ish-bosheth who was later made king by Abner (2 Sam 2:8-9). Saul faced death the same way he face life – with his own hands without asking God for guidance. The Bible lists only the above seven suicides, but Jews have the lowest suicide rate of any religion even today (the group with by far the most suicides is 50-54, white collar, protestant Caucasians). Besides Saul (feeling hopeless), other biblically recorded suicides are Ahithophel (feared losing to David and hung himself in 2 Sam 17:23), Abimelech (shamed by a woman in battle and choose to die by the sword in Jud 9:54), Samson (died in revenge plan in Jud 16:30), Saul’s armor-bearer (impulsively – as is 40% of teenage suicides today – fell on his sword), Zimri (about to lose a battle and so burned down the palace while inside in 1 Kings 16:18), and Judas (realized how great his sin and hung himself out of guilt but the rope broke and he fell down a cliff in Matt 27:5). They all felt trapped, believed that life was not worthy of living or that they were not worthy to live, were spiritually ailing, and depressed. Each would have done better to have accepted life as a gift from God (John 1:21), turned to faith rather than emotions (James 1:2, Phil 4:1), bowed to the sovereign will of God (Romans 8:28), with the help of the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20, 5:16-23), sought help from others (1 John 1:9), and treated their depression as sin (Ps 77:2-9). I have heard that of the few that survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, all regretted their decision on the way down. Some have suggested that someone who kills themselves cannot end up in heaven. The Bible actually says very little on the subject but Samson is listed in Hebrew 11:32 with the faithful, so at least one was a true believer.
Over one million Americans will attempt to immediately kill themselves this year and 1 in 15 will succeed (for about 25,000) which makes suicide the 10th highest killer (greater than murder – which is saying something when you consider we lead the world in that as well). But, all the other top nine killers are really suicide as well. Then again, the “natural” outcome of freewill is always death. For example, put any animal in a cage with the freedom to push a lever for hereon and 100% will kill themselves. Humans are the only animal that can survive free choice, but we don’t do it often. Why worry about air pollution when cigarettes cause a quarter of all deaths? Why recycle when a thousand Americans die every day from poor nutritional choices? Why work for justice when the rampant problems with suicide, drugs, alcohol, and casual sex take so many more (with 60% of the children in the Caribbean dying from AIDS)? With the improvements in law enforcement, home safety, and health care, all of the top ten ways Americans die today is basically from self-destructive means. There is no greater health problem, and all of these are simply symptoms of being spiritually lost. Research funded by the Nurses Christian Fellowship has identified four areas of spiritual needs: “relief from fear of death, knowledge of God’s presence, expression of caring and support from another person, and receiving the sacraments” and have found that “spiritual matters gave [patients] a sense of increased power and control in coping with life’s challenges” (Martin, Burrows, and Pomilio, 1976; Stevenson, 1980). The North American Nursing Diagnosis Association identifies spiritual distress, spiritual concerns, and spiritual despair as official medical diagnoses (Monahan, Drake, and Neighbors, 1994).
As Passover week approaches, Jesus stays with Simon the leper (Mark 14:3) in Bethany (coming there on Sunday, six days before) – it will be from here that on the morrow Jesus makes the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Perhaps why only John tells the story of Lazarus (about 2 months earlier than today’s reading) was because Lazarus was still alive (despite the desire of the Sanhedrin to kill this powerful witness for Christ) during the earlier Gospels and that John was writing to Christians outside of Palestine (while the other Gospels were written more to those in Judea) who had a greater need to hear the story. Last summer the manager of a Canadian ice cream parlor in Niagara Falls complained to me while on vacation that she felt that the Bible did not relate directly to her life. I agreed that the NT was a testament of God’s love to the Jews of 2,000 years ago (with the OT as a reminder to them) and that knowledge of Jewish culture was thusly required to fully understand what He says through the 66 different authors, but I asked her how she could let that stop her from reading God’s most complete love letter for everything that we need (not want) to know. We must realize that we are indeed secondary audiences to these books and consider the motivations and hopes for their primary audiences in order to better understand their format and content. In the same way, the disciples often understood the old covenant only in the light of the new one (v 12:16).
Simon the leper had invited Jesus (and all of His disciples) to dinner after being cured when Lazarus’s sister Mary pours a very expensive (likely costing her life’s savings) perfume normally reserved for kings on Christ’s feet and wipes them with her hair (only a prostitute normally untied her hair in public) – how much better it is to show love to someone before they die. Mary lovingly gave her best despite criticism and Christ honored her and defended her from evil attacks. We should similarly devote ourselves to the honor and mission of Christ. Martha’s question to Christ yesterday (Where were you when we needed you?) was the result of not really understanding His resurrection and life message until after He brought her brother back to life. Christ’s betrayer Judas, however, never understands and tries to sound spiritual by expressing concern for the poor that he surely did not feel (piety often cloaks hidden motives). John makes it fairly clear here that Judas was stealing from the disciples and may have been particularly interested in making as much as he could before Jesus died (remember that Jesus picked Judas fully knowing his character and demonic influence). While Jesus had given his disciples plenty of warning of the pending events, perhaps only Mary and Judas perceived that Christ’s death was imminent and thusly we have their two reactions to compare. Mary’s devotion angered Judas just as the success of Lazarus was angering the Sanhedrin.
Jerusalem was not a safe place for Jesus at night and so He did not lodge there, but instead stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Matt 21:17). The Pharisees, however, were too cowardly to arrest Christ in the presence of the daylight’s welcoming masses of commoners who were now ready to acclaim Jesus as their Savior and king (Hosanna is the Hebrew word for “save now,” but they were still convinced that He would save them from the Romans). As they shouted from tomorrow’s Psalms 118:25 and 26 they probably never thought that the very same Psalm in verse 22 ironically foretold that they would reject the cornerstone.
Jim

1 Samuel 26:1-28:25 + John 11:1-54 + Psalm 117:1-2 + Proverbs 15:22-23
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link, or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – In First Samuel 26 David completes the 3 “tests” of obedience, as discussed in yesterday’s post, by once again not killing Saul when he had the opportunity.  Verses 9 through 11 again show David’s character when he and Abishai had snuck into Saul’s camp and Abishai offered to kill Saul – “”No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one? Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die in battle or of old age. But the LORD forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But I’ll tell you what–we’ll take his spear and his jug of water and then get out of here!””

Interesting… in First Samuel 28 Saul bans mediums – wise – and then becomes desperate for one – unwise…  The medium seems to get quite freaked out that she has called up Samuel.  Commentaries suggest that she is used to calling up satanic / demonic forces.  She (possibly) connected to Samuel somehow here and was freaked out by it.  And Samuel tells Saul exactly what he probably knows in his heart.  God has left him – a long time ago – because of his disobedience.  Consulting a medium is just one more disobedient act in a string of them.  I pray that no one reading this consults mediums or does tarot cards or gets into palm readings or any of that garbage.  It is spiritually dangerous and risky to get into any of that.  Unfortunately, I know that things like “tarot card reading parties” are somewhat popular today.  I have been invited to them and have not gone – and told the hosts why I was not attending.  Please avoid this spiritually risky stuff.  It is no joke dangerous.  Below is a painting by Benjamin West from the year 1777 titled “Saul and the Witch of Endor”:

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s First Samuel readings titled “The Second Time Around” is at this link.  Commentary titled “One Step Forward, and Two Backward” is at this link and commentary titled “Finding God’s Will, Any “Witch” Way You Can” is at this link.

New Testament – Today in John chapter 11 verse 35 we read the shortest verse in the Bible – “Jesus wept.” Though this may be the shortest verse, I do not believe it is small in meaning. What does it say to you that Jesus wept? What does it mean to you that Jesus wept? I love this verse because to me it shows Jesus’ humanity (while at the same time he is divine). During his time living as a man on earth, Jesus experienced the full range of emotions that you and I experience today. Jesus was tempted. (though, unlike us, he did not give into temptation and sin ever) Jesus was joyful. Jesus was angry. Jesus loved. Jesus wept. Knowing this about Jesus, does this help you to realize that you can approach Jesus with absolutely any situation in your life that you might be struggling with? Do you believe that Jesus will understand you if you are weeping? Do you believe that Jesus will rejoice with you when you are rejoicing? I do. “Jesus wept” says so much to me about who Jesus was, is, and forever will be. Jesus wept.

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s John chapter 11 readings titled “Dealing with Death” is at this link and “The Raising of Lazarus” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the Psalms – and the shortest chapter in the entire Bible.  This Psalm is said to basically be one long Alleluia.  🙂  Actually verse 1 has a very important message – “Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.”  This demonstrates that God was very interested in the salvation of the Gentiles and all the nations in the Old Testament.  And not just in the New Testament as we get to the book of Acts.  This was part of the plan all along…

Proverbs – Today in Proverbs chapter 15 verse 22 we read – “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Wow. . . this verse really is convicting for me on a couple of levels. The first thought for me is God – and how often (or not often) do I pray to God for counsel on my plans for my life? Truthfully, not enough. I pray to God daily – but it’s usually pretty brief. I believe God wants us to come to him often in prayer asking for guidance and counsel on our plans. Imagine that – with God as an adviser on our plans, do you think they might succeed?? 🙂 Secondly, I think about community – other people. And I think about, first of all, am I in community? Am I in a community of people that I know well and that know me? And if so, am I consulting this community on my life plans? Am I allowing people I know and love to advise me on my life? Think this would be wise? How about you – do you pray often to God for counsel and leading in your life plans? Are you in community with others that you know well and that know you? And do you consult this community with your plans and ask for their advice?

Worship Video: Psalm 117 reminds me of Michael W. Smith’s “A New Hallelujah!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBxOkruKpqI

Do you sing Alleluia? Click here and sing!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Jesus wept.” John 11:35 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray in thanksgiving that Jesus wept like we weep. Pray in thanksgiving that Jesus knows pain and joy, as we do. Pray in thanksgiving that Jesus is our High Priest who like us was tempted in every way, but never sinned, and intercedes on our behalf before the Father.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  I read an interesting commentary today related to Jesus weeping in John.  The commentary basically said that while we have recorded in Scriptures that Jesus wept, we don’t have anywhere recorded in Scriptures that Jesus laughed.  I had never thought about that before!  The commentary went on to say that they are sure Jesus laughed and had a great sense of humor.  But I find that fascinating to think about – that it’s not recorded that Jesus laughed.  Why do you suppose this is?  Do you think Jesus laughed?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

1 Samuel 26:1-28:25

Two men, on the outside they don’t seem to be different; however, on the inside one has a heart after God, the other’ heart is focused on himself and covered in pride. Both of these men have sin in their lives, both of these men have “missed” it; yet one repents and turns back to God the other doesn’t. One is at war with God the other is at peace. If one were to look at the entire life of both of these men, I think Saul would come up smelling like a rose, while David would be severely condemned. However, the difference can be found in the heart. David wanted to please God Saul wanted to fight Him. Saul fought to keep his name in the limelight by any means necessary; David lifted up God’s name.

Death, necromancers (the witch at Endor), familiar spirits and mediums.

I think everyone needs to take a deep breath and go back and read Jesus’ reply to the Sadducees (Sad-to-sees) who gave Jesus that crazy scenario about the woman who married and outlived seven brothers (Matthew 22:23-29; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40). The bottom line is this, those that die a physical death, in Christ even before Christ physically came upon the earth (Samuel et all) are not dead in God’s sight.

But Jesus replied to them, You are wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor God’s power. For in the resurrected state neither do [men] marry nor are [women] given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. But as to the resurrection of the dead–have you never read what was said to you by God, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living! [Exod. 3:6.] (Matthew 22:29-32 AMP)

As far as man is concerned now, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are long dead but Jesus reminds us that God spoke of them as being in the hear and now. God said I am the God of … Not I was the God …. We, I believe, in my humble opinion have the wrong understanding of what death is. Cessation of life is not death; being removed from the presence of God is death. We are made in the image of God and God is Spirit not flesh. Who we are, is not who and what we are in “flesh” but in spirit. Our spirits our born again, not our flesh. Our flesh will be redeemed and put back together again in a form that will be incorruptible, like Jesus’, when Jesus comes again.

The witch/medium of Endor had no plans or inclination of bring up Samuel that is why she screamed. She wasn’t expecting the real Samuel. Remember Jesus’ story of Lazarus and the rich man? (Luke 16:19-31). Each of them recognized each other, Abraham, Lazarus and the rich man AFTER DEATH but they were not dead; however, the Rich Man had a location problem, he was in the wrong location removed from the Presence of God. .

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna). (Matthew 10:28 AMP)

When the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw at the foot of the altar the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed for [adhering to] the Word of God and for the testimony they had borne. They cried in a loud voice, O [Sovereign] Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth? [Gen. 4:10; Ps. 79:5; Zech. 1:12.] Then they were each given a long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Revelation 6:9-11 AMP)

Also something to think about, if death, physical death is so atrocious for the believer, why would Samuel be upset to be called back into the land of the physical living. He said that they had disturbed him.

This is not what I had initially decided to focus on, but reading the posts led me down this path.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

P.S. Someone, I’m sorry I can’t remember who, asked about Jesus being the first raised from the dead when others, like Lazarus in the John reading had been brought back to life. Well again, we need to be clear on what “death” Jesus is talking about. Yes, Jesus brought back people from the dead, and by the way so did the prophets Elijah and Elisha; however, all those folks died a physical death, again. Jesus was the only one who came back to physical life but will NEVER die a physical death again. Those who are His will also be clothed with a body that will be eternal and incorruptible when He returns.

Oops! I forgot about the witches; familiar spirits and mediums.

Each of these things deal with death, something that well, scares us to death. We don’t know what is on the other side; however, God has told us what He has prepared for us but He left no solid proof. That is why we operate by faith. Witches, familiar spirits and mediums allege to tell us what God won’t. This is the same thing that happened in the Garden, “Did God say …?” We are enticed into this realm of demonic activity because deep down inside we believe God is keeping us in the dark, He’s pulling a fast one. It’s not demonic because it’s spooky and eerie; it is demonic because it is in the realm of Satan. I think I stated this before, There are only two Kingdoms; The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Satan. Everything in the Kingdom of Satan is demonic. In the Kingdom of God, Jesus is Lord; In the kingdom of Satan, Satan isn’t Lord—self is Lord.

Here is something to think about, what is a medium. It is someone who alleges to stand between the living and the dead. The problem is that anyone who operates in these modes are DEAD, spiritually dead. If Believers, God’s folk—His people, go to one of these to find out “stuff,” they are talking to dead folk (spiritually dead) about well dead folk (physically dead and possibly spiritually dead also). There is someone who stands between the living and the dead and it ain’t no medium it is Jesus Christ.

Familiar spirits are those demonic spirits that have hung around your family, region, country through the ages and know everything about you. That’s why they are familiar and you are comfortable with them being around. If someone or something gives you a “word” you best know how that “word” lines up with the Word. We are suppose to walk by faith not by our senses, feelings and emotions.

Witches are just necromancers; folks hanging around dead stuff and dead folk. Why if Jesus is the Truth and the Life, why would we want to rub shoulders and elbows with death when we have Life?

And when the people [instead of putting their trust in God] shall say to you, Consult for direction mediums and wizards who chirp and mutter, should not a people seek and consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19 AMP)

What we are really concerned about our loved ones who we may or may not see in heaven, bottom line. But guess what, when you get to heaven, if those folks are saved you will see them; if not, you won’t remember. There will be no tears shed in heaven.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== Ann:

======= Jeff:

This is my first comment to your blog. Below is what I posted today on the One Year Bible site my church is using this year as we read through the Bible together(as you are doing). Would appreciate any replies.
Fellow Seekers,
The story today of Jesus’ resurrecting Lazarus from the dead (John 11) has triggered many thoughts regarding miracles:
1. Did Jesus really resurrect Lazarus after he was dead for 4 days (see verse 39)?
– If so, this event is definitely the most amazing miracle that Jesus ever performed (aside from His own resurrection of course).
As such, then why is Lazarus’s resurrection excluded from the other 3 gospels?
– John states in verse 54 that this was Jesus’ last event in His public ministry before His own betrayal, death, and resurrection. This appears to contradict the other 3 gospels which make Jesus’ throwing the money-changers from the temple the final catalyst before He is arrested.
2. Did Jesus really heal the man that was blind since birth (John 9)?
– If so, this healing miracle is the most amazing healing miracle that Jesus ever performed. As such, then why is it only told in John and not the other 3 gospels?
3. Why is it that 2 of the most amazing miracles attributed to Jesus are told only in John? If they are true, they are so fantastic that they certainly would have been widely known and would have been more
than worthy for inclusion in the gospels of Matthew and Mark and Luke. Is it possible that John is stretching the truth in these 2
stories?
4. The other aspect of John’s gospel that I am having trouble reconciling with the other 3 gospels is his concept of Jesus and God being the same (see John 1:1-2 and John 10:30 for example). In the other 3 gospels isn’t Jesus seen more as having been created by God
(e.g. the “Son of God”). Question: Excluding the gospel of John, does the rest of the Bible primarily support the trinitarian concept of Jesus as God incarnate or was Jesus created by God?
P.S. I’m not asking you for definitive answers to these questions because I realize they are very involved. But I would appreciate any thoughts you might have on these topics.
Thanks folks.
Jeff

======= Ramona:

Jeff, The writer of Hebrews states, Now faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If we were able to explain everything that Jesus and God did, there would be no reason the have, worship or need God.
The witness of one event by several people, even a crowd, will not elicit the same explanation or descriptive narratives by every one who saw the event, just ask any policeman or detective, People write what they think is important. Each one of the writers of the Gospels wrote for very different reasons and it is from their motivating factors that gave birth to what they focused on with the help of the Holy Spirit.
From my own experiences there are two kinds of knowledge. There is knowledge that comes by way of empirical science and the five senses, that kind of knowledge needs no faith. Then there is “revelation” knowledge and that is what I believe and know for myself, it takes to understand the Bible. When we get further into the book of John, Jesus addresses this kind of knowledge.
Hope this was helpful. I am not a theologian and my own experience in The Faith has come through “revelation” knowledge.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Jeff:

Thanks. Yes, that was helpful. Nevertheless, I’m still an inquisitive human that seeks to understand the Bible as completely as possible so that what I believe (i.e. my faith) is as true as it can possibly be.
If I had to depend solely on revelation to receive answers to my questions, I fear my knowledge would be very limited and the truthfulness of that knowledge very, very questionable.
Anyones thoughts or insights on the following would be sincerely appreciated:
The other aspect of John’s gospel that I am having trouble reconciling with the other 3 gospels is his concept of Jesus and God being the same (see John 1:1-2 and John 10:30 for example). In the other 3 gospels isn’t Jesus seen more as having been created by God
(e.g. the “Son of God”). Question: Excluding the gospel of John, does the rest of the Bible primarily support the trinitarian concept of Jesus as God incarnate or was Jesus created by God?
Jeff

======= Mike:

Jeff – Good questions!
Bible.org has a great overview of the Trinity – and even opens this commentary with this first sentence, which gets at your question – “Because the word trinity is never found in the Bible some wonder about whether this is a biblical doctrine or not, but the absence of a term used to describe a doctrine does not necessarily mean the term is not biblical.” Check it out here –
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=215
Bible.org also has a great discussion called “Major Differences Between John and the Synoptic Gospels”. This will dive into some of your questions of why some things are just in John or vice versa. Check it out here –
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=1151
Hope these help. Glad to see you asking these questions. God will lead you to answers.
Grace,
Mike

======= Jim:

Some believe that it is too unlikely for the incident involving the opportunity to kill Saul in 1 Samuel 24 to be repeated so closely in 1 Samuel 26:1 and conclude the two narratives are only differing perspectives of the same event. The incidents are similar, but the differences are sufficient to establish that the events are in fact separate. But the much bigger questions are 1) how Saul could turn to black magic when he had already exiled all of the witches and wizards by God’s command (Ex 22:18 and Deut 18:10-11), and, 2) does this suggest that the existence of fortune tellers is biblically supported and that the Spirit of Samuel that was with God actually returned to talk with Saul? What is the difference between a fortune teller (bad) and a prophet (good)? First is the source of the knowledge and second is the purpose (one is to allow you to control the future and the other is to b you change to prepare for it). Clearly the Lord “stirred” (1 Sam 26:19) things up by sending an evil spirit to trouble Saul as punishment for his sin (1 Sam 16: 1, 14). Saul is so consumed by anxiety and fear (specifically opposite to how “real” believers are “free” from sin) that he purposely sins with only confirmation of what he already knows (the spirit of Samuel only tells Saul what he told him while alive). Samuel asks Saul what can anyone do for a person God has left as a consequence of wrong actions. This is similar to Jesus’ parable when Abraham tells a rich man that it would be futile to send the dead Lazarus to warn his bothers (Luke 16:27-31). Anyone not willing to believe Moses will likewise not believe a voice from beyond the grave.
David tells Saul that by seeking God’s pardon and offering a sacrifice that he could ask for removal of the evil spirit. Similarly, David says he could offer an atoning sacrifice to God if there was any offense on his part (but if evil men making false accusations were the cause of Saul’s hostility, they would be judged). David, however, placed no value in Saul’s blessing in v 26:25 (as addictions to alcohol, drugs, sex, violence, or food are not just examples of poor choices but of choice and fidelity having been surrendered) and sought refuge with the king of Gath (who no doubt hoped to encourage the split between David and Saul and welcome hiring David’s 600 skilled fighting men as mercenaries). It is important to remember in our darkest moments that there is always a way back to a relationship with God. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, God explains that when His children are tempted, He always provides a means of escape in order to replace wrong behavior with right behavior. We are reminded that the faith of even the greatest saints can falter and that we may need to prove steadfast to the right things while waiting on God timing. We must stay close to the Lord so that when we need His help most, it will be available.
David is successful not by his own efforts and skills but by his faith in God. David trusted that God was in control so that even when he faced his greatest challenges, he always had the greatest confidence, “the battle is the Lord’s.” God’s sovereignty is not only to be believed but to shape our behavior. David’s killing of every person of the old enemy nations does help to ensure that his lying about raiding Judah is not discovered, but it is also continued fulfilling of God’s holy war to drive these doomed people (whose religious practices have been shown by archeologists to include cult prostitution and child sacrifice) from the land (see Ex 23:24 and Josh 13:2-3) to protect Israel from temptation. The OT national covenant provided the payoff for obedience of health and long life (Ex 23:25-26) as the NT individual covenant provides for spiritual health and survival. Even if wise to shun pubic notice, it is never wise to be idle. David doesn’t outright agree to join Achish in war among the Israelites, but he also dares not to outright refuse.
Saul, on the other hand, living under the Zadok rival priesthood to Abiathar, unable to get guidance from God, was in a panic (terrified to despair, he is still not humbled) with the Philistines posed at Shunem with superior weapons (Israel without the technology of iron as it had be banned for so long). Why should God answer a king who had shown he will not obey? Saul calls for a retired medium of necromancy (consulting the dead to determine the future), an art specifically forbidden by the law (Lev 19:31). The medium shrieks with surprise and fear when Samuel actually appears from Sheol or “the place of departed spirits” hints that the woman truly believed God had permitted the spirit of Samuel to speak and announce Saul’s imminent death (Saul faints – the wicked always fear death) and that she understood the potential personal consequences for being involved. Saul’s recognition, the accurate prediction, and revelation for the woman of Saul’s identity all suggest that validity of the apparition (this is one OT example of many supporting conscious life after death that makes it difficult for me to understand why all my Jewish friends, like the Sadducees, fail to believe in an immortal soul). Sheol (the place for both the righteous and the wicked – Samuel tell Saul that he and his children will soon be with him) is said to have gates which prohibit the normal escape of a spirit and this is the only instance recorded in the OT of someone making it out (even if only temporarily) – the NT describes total escape in the first and second resurrections of Revelation.
Mike is very correct in stating that mediums, fortune tellers, and their tools are no joke. We often think of spiritual games as being very old, but these are actually only measurements of our recent moral decline. For example, Weegee (Ouija or talking) boards is the second most popular board game in America that even those knowledgeable in “The Craft” often consider too dangerous to use, and never play with themselves, only goes back about 150 years. Tarot cards are less than 500 years old but only picked up a dark association again in the mid 1800’s (when there were more free-sex communes than in the 1960’s as the basis for many American companies, like Hershey and Oneida). Wiccans similarly like to think of their religion as very old, but it is a potpourri of elements from as many ancient religions as possible only in the past 50 years (there are very few witches whose parents were Wiccan) and should not be confused with biblical witchcraft. Popular films and television programs, such as The Craft (where spells were intentionally done with mistakes to keep viewers from real powers), Practical Magic, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harry Potter, Blair Witch Project, Free Spirit, The Worst Witch, Teen Witch, Sorceress, Witchcraft 1-8, The Witch’s Daughter, Sleepy Hollow, Teen Sorcery, Simply Irresistible, and Charmed, are aimed at attracting children (especially girls, as most characters are very pretty young females) to this growing religion. In these portrayals, being a witch is akin to being a superhero (or “naturally born” witch with gifts everyday, ordinary “Muggles” lack) as expressed in the Wiccan story, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: “There is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it.”
I did a search (in 2002) and found 2,904 different Wiccan Yahoo newsgroups to share spells to control and more spells to free one from the first spells. Control seems to be a very big draw for Wiccan believers. Countless sites even outright state that evil can be transmuted into good in a similar fashion to medieval alchemy (clearly making the religion about using “dark” power for “good”). Most of the newsgroups contain online stores where you can buy books about every religion, except, of course, Judo-Christianity because Judo-Christianity (besides Satanism) is the only major world religion that formally recognizes witches (in both in the Old and New Testaments). Popular Wicca book titles in the first few of those newsgroups included, “Nice Girl’s Book of Naughty Spells,” with spells that teaches women how to have it all: sex and money while dumping the useless boyfriend and “Power Spells” on how to get the upper hand in any situation. Other highly marketable items include candles, incense, herbs, staffs, rattles, wands, drums, crystals, pentagrams, and a lot of porn (because forced ritual sex is very important to the religion – “a gift from the Goddess”). And since lying, forced control over others, casual sex, drugs, and disobedience are encouraged by the religion, its hard to imagine what Wicca followers might consider an evil deed to be (there seems to be a lot of support for the idea of victimless crimes – a concept I find most objectionable). One of the major differences, however, with pagan concepts of morality is that they are based on Don’ts. For example, many sites posted the Wicca golden rule as stating the negative, “don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you” rather than the more positive and proactive Christian version of, “do to others what you would hope them to do to you.” Most sites suggested that there’s no difference between the two. “Real” morality, however, can only be found exactly in the empathetic responsibility for others that comes from that difference. Being “good” is not about not harming, but about proactively providing assistance for other’s needs. It is also the key difference between selfish and selfless individuals and cultures. Practicing witchcraft or playing such games actually makes one a Christian except with the associated value system turned upside down (just as Darth Vader is a Jedi knight except for an opposite set of values). Wiccans “do not seek any repentance” (Wicca, I guess, means never having to say you’re sorry – it’s certainly about never asking for forgiveness or accepting grace). The core belief is one of a low differentiation pantheism where there is little difference from person to person, person to god, or good to bad. Low differentiation, however, is specifically referenced by psychiatrists to identify poor mental health.
A key part of New Age and Wiccan beliefs is that we are leaving the Age of Pisces that began about the time of Christ and are now entering a new world order of one government, one language, and one religion where everyone will be recognized as gods as we enter the Age of Aquarius during this century – which is very similar to Christian end-time predictions. The Key of Solomon is one of the most famous of all magical Wicca textbooks. It is supposedly written by the Biblical son of David – again noting the close tie between Biblical and Wiccan identities. The Key of Solomon provides lessons to students of the craft in using the positions of Jupiter for acquiring all that one can desire, Mars to cause “ruin, slaughter, cruelty, discord, to wound, and to give death” and summoning souls from Hades (especially those of violent deaths), Sun for wealth, favor of princesses and (with Jupiter and Venus) for invisibility, Venus for joyous undertakings, poisons and provocation of madness, Mercury for fortune telling, thefts, deceit, and merchandise, Moon for envoys and nocturnal visions, Saturn (with Mars and the Moon) for summoning Spirits and stealing back what has been stolen by others and experiments of hatred, enmity, quarrel, and discord, and Mercury for experiments in raillery and jests. Such use of the stars is not uncommon in the Bible as the three Magi wise men bearing gifts for Christ were likely members of a priestly class of Persians who had occult knowledge and power, adept at astrology, dream interpretation, fortune-telling, and mediation with the spirit world.
John 11:35 is my favorite biblical verse (for one thing, it’s short enough even for my feeble brain to remember – although 1 Thess 5:16 is shorter in the Greek). A doctor who sees death and pain day in and out eventually becomes immune to the effects. Christ, on the other hand, knew that Lazarus would die and had seen death a trillion times before and knew that his soul and body would be reunited as personal evidence to His great claim, “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” a lesson of the result of sin, and so dangerous (v 10:31) to eventually end in His own death (v 11:50-53) but was overwhelmed by the sadness of the family and moved to tears (imagine, a God that cries). Every pain we feel, God feels right along with us, as if it was the very first feeling. Every sunrise is seen by the Lord as if it was likewise the very first. In Michelangelo’s rendition of creation for the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, God should be depicted as the hoping child and man as old and weary. What kind of person would force a young child to watch someone else sin, but this is exactly what every Christian does to God when we choose to sin. It is Jewish custom (called “shivah” for seven days) to morn for the death of a family member with friends at home for a week, abstain from adornments for three weeks, and common pleasures for a year. Preparation of the dead was done the very day of death and by women, and thusly done here by Lazarus’ sisters. Luke (v 10:38-42) adds some information on the two sisters, Mary (the placid woman who later pours perfume with her hair on the Lord’s feet) and Martha (the active one, of course, it the one to greet Jesus). These sisters had assumed that Jesus would immediately respond to their message about Lazarus’ illness (as if He didn’t already know), but he had instead waited on his Father’s time. Jesus spoke about the danger of going to Bethany but that one who lives by the will of God will always be safe. It is living in the realm of evil that is truly dangerous. John marks the growth of the hostility step by step (5:16; 7:1, 32, 45; 8:59; 9:22; 10:39) – it is ironic that these men believed they could put to death permanently One who could raise the dead. Compare Jesus’ compassion with Caiphus’s statement that the death of one person meant nothing for the safety of the nation (suggesting concern over the Roman fear of rivalry when it was really the Sanhedrin’s fear of rivalry that was the problem). “For he loves us with unfailing love; the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!”
Dear Jeff, Here is a man dead and buried, bound tightly, and Jesus “wakes” him four days later. Is one miracle greater than any other (except when He took God’s wrath for our sins on His shoulders and overcame death through His resurrection) when no sin is greater than any other (ALL warrants death)? Each of the Gospels are from four very different people, Matthew the evil tax collector, Mark who knew Jesus as a nine-year old child, John the most-beloved, and Luke who never met Him but was the first Christian historian speaking from first-hand witnesses. Each also had a different purpose and so it is reasonable that they each tell the good news in different ways, but in all four Gospel Jesus has the power to forgive sin, miracles from God, power over evil, know our thoughts, to calm nature, and the authority to teach us how to pray (and so forth and so on). Remember His baptism in Luke when the word of God identified Jesus as His Son. Jesus claimed in many places outside of the Gospel of John to be the Son of God (such as Luke 22:70), but OT scripture confirms it as well (some of which I’ve listed previously). I cannot understand your problem “reconciling” the other three Gospels as I don’t see where they are in conflict. I would suggest that you take this in earnest prayer to Jesus directly. You are right to assume that answers must come from more than one just revelation and that faith comes first from reason – “Let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18), “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14), and “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). God has no need for yes-men and yes-woman (that’s Satan, duh). Scripture demands, in fact, that anyone claiming to have spiritual gifts or messages from God must submit to public and objective rational testing before employing by multiple accepted authorities (“let two or three prophets speak, and let others pass judgment.” – 1 Cor 12:29). Nothing disgusts God more than lukewarm blind-faith Christians that he vomits, in Revelation, out of His mouth.
But faith (a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit so it is not something anyone can build but only develop) is more than critical thinking based on the facts (although salvation isn’t). Do parallel lines meet at infinity? If you say no, you get a valid mathematics, and if you say yes, you get a valid mathematics. The only situation in which you do not get a valid mathematics is if you refuse to answer because of being angry over how could anyone know for sure. What kind of stubborn person (the agnostic), though, would live without mathematics simply to be “right?” You have to choose. In addition, however, how can you claim to love another without seeing more in that person than you have experienced already (can’t you love a completely useless infant without any justification) – how can you have love without faith (you can’t have math). Have you never known another’s faith (not just trust) in you? Truth, love, and God all require faith and any verse of the Bible can exchange any of these three words and mean the same thing. People in failing relationships usually complain that the other person is controlling, condemning and judgmental, always angry, untrustworthy, and unable to listen. God has had similar complaints about us by complaining that His people are “far away” (Isaiah 29:13), “unfaithful” (Joshua 22:16), “proud and perfectionistic” (Deuteronomy 8:14; Palms 36:2), “unloving” (1 John 4:20), and “judgmental” (Romans 2:1). God reaches out to us for relationships as the object of His love and is clear on who He is. He is for honest relationships based on truth and love and against oppression, injustice, sin, and evil. While all religions involve mankind reaching up to God, only Jesus was really about how God reaches down to us. Jesus demonstrated relationship needs when he asked the disciples to stay and keep watch while he prayed and by his great pain when they failed him. People with relationship barriers usually don’t recognize internal problems, leaving those who do care (such as Jesus) feeling discouraged and distant (usually, in fact, with far greater pain and discomfort than the person with the problem). One of the most surprising facts about the bible didn’t require me to read the book but I only got after doing so. The Moslems take Jesus (as well as all the leaders from every religion) as one of their 250,000 to 2.5 million Islamic “prophets.” Jesus is the only one I know of, though, that didn’t feel he needed to dictate or write anything directly to us (Mohammed and Buddha, for example, were prolific authors) – there is no book in the Bible entitled, “Jesus.” He seems to be the only one of history’s religious leaders who believed enough in a personal relationship with God that he didn’t think we would get it wrong on our own (no being “good enough” required, thank God). The Bible is good, but IMHO the relationship comes first.
How would you like to be going to the moon and have the navigation system shut down for 20 minutes, because the first astronauts had to normally suffer through exactly that more than a half dozen times during each flight. This was because the 4k of memory in the computer was not big enough for all of the navigation requirements and it took 20 minute to boot the next code segment (yes, computer hardware back then was so slow it took 20 minutes to load 4,000 characters!). NASA could have spent their money (and capsule space) on more memory but instead installed three computers so that when any one system disagreed with the other two it could be shut down or rebooted. This was because the wrong answer scared them more than no answer! The Church’s biggest problem has always been a lack of fear about wrong answers while exhibiting an unhealthy indiscriminate fear of debate (causing them to be anti-science). God provides three sources of truth (or computers) through His Word, the experiences from a direct relationship along with our own intelligence, and community within the body. Many people have heard silly things from God, misinterpreted the Bible, or gotten bad advice from a friend, but most could have gotten quickly straighten out if they had only looked harder at the other two for confirmation. Isaiah 30:21 says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” Thus, God will speak, and you can hear His voice, but you must be careful (especially when you are a young Christian) that you objectively confirm that you are following the Holy Spirit and not another voice. “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14) and “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed” (Matthew 18:16). I want you to know that your experience and input is certainly valuable to this group and our learning experience and I look forward to your continued involvement after this first posting. While you don’t want to rely “solely on revelation,” however, it would seem that at this time you may be missing some. In other words, what has God told you when you went to Him directly with these questions? For your question on how we know The Son is the Father is the Holy Spirit (that three separate beings are also one), I would ask that you first start with some simple research, say, with a Google search on the question on “how one God can be three persons” and report back on what you learn.
Jim

======= John:

Dora,
#2 They do come in the form of men. I am just not sure they identify themselves as such. And how do we know which is which if they did? Sylvia “whatshername” claims she deals with angels and spirits all the time. I know the difference she says – “good angels (spirits) give off a bright light” and are beautiful. Really???? And Lucifer is called what?
The supposed miracles of Satan. Well, my understanding is that if a Demon causes something he can undo it. Or when a healing or miracle occurs it does not necessarily last or it is an imperfect cure. Satan is the Great imitator and in all his imitations of God he comes up short or it is flawed. (Just my belief).
Perhaps that is true of Samuel if he was an evil imitation – I just don’t think that was the case – as I posted. But there a good many godly people who go along with you on your premise.
“Don’t Satan and his angels know exactly what has happened and can relay that to the witches?”
Exactly.
#3 Rapture. Best discussed at a later date when we get to the appropriate text in the New Testament.
Dora,
#1)Eccl 9:5
“The living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything.”
Agree with Ramona and had an excerpt from commentary below. Context and message are important. My understanding of this is that the dead know nothing of the earthly life anymore. The life they have lived “under the sun” is over. Their earthly rewards are all they got, and they are done. Dead and done.
Vs. 4 has the idea I was looking for:
“Anyone who is among the living has hope..”
======================================================
The living at least know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything about what’s going on in the world.
This verse is constantly used by false teachers to prove that the soul sleeps in death, that consciousness ceases when the last breath is taken. But it is senseless to build a doctrine of the hereafter on this verse, or on this book, for that matter. As has been repeatedly emphasized, Ecclesiastes represents man’s best conclusions as he searches for answers “under the sun.” It sets forth deductions based on observations and on logic but not on divine revelation. It is what a wise man might think if he did not have a Bible.
What would you think if you saw a person die and watched his body as it was lowered into the grave, knowing that it would eventually return to dust? You might think, That’s the end. My friend knows nothing now; he can’t enjoy any activities that are going on; he has forgotten and will soon be forgotten.
MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville
John

1 Samuel 24:1-25:44 + John 10:22-42 + Psalm 116:1-19 + Proverbs 15:20-21
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Old Testament – Interesting chapters today!  David is essentially put to the test by God over the next 3 chapters – 2 tests today and 1 tomorrow.  And the test is this – obedience.  You’ll recall that Saul fails the test of obedience early in his kingship.  David passes the tests – he does not kill Saul and he does not kill Nabal.  He could have killed both.  First Samuel 24 verses 5 through 7 are a great look at David’s character when Saul was in the cave – “But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. “The LORD knows I shouldn’t have done it,” he said to his men. “It is a serious thing to attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” So David sharply rebuked his men and did not let them kill Saul.”

How impressive is Abigail in First Samuel chapter 25!  Her speech to David in verses 24 through 30 is awesome.  She takes all the blame.  Calls out Nabal.  Gives David gifts.  And smartly lets him know he doesn’t need this blood on his hands.  David is clearly impressed.   Below is Dutch artist Jacob Willemsz de Wet’s painting from the 17th century titled “The Meeting of David and Abigail”:

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s First Samuel readings titled “A Time to Kill, or Not” is at this link and “Dear Abby” is at this link.

New Testament – John chapter 10 verse 30 is a powerful teaching from Jesus! “The Father and I are one.”  Many churches celebrate Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the Upper Room after Jesus’ ascension into heaven.  Thus, rounding out the Trinity. (Bible.org has a great overview of the Trinity at this link.)  The Father.  The Son.  And the Holy Spirit.  Do you believe Jesus when he says, “”The Father and I are one” ?  Jesus smartly quotes from Psalm 82 verse 6 in verses 34-36 today: “Jesus replied, “It is written in your own law that God said to certain leaders of the people, `I say, you are gods!’ And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people, who received God’s message, were called `gods,’ why do you call it blasphemy when the Holy One who was sent into the world by the Father says, `I am the Son of God’?”

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in John titled “The Sovereign Shepherd” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 116 verses 1 & 2 are amazing- “I love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers.  Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!” How is your prayer life these days?  Do you believe God bends down and listens to your prayers?  And answers them?   Will you pray as long as you have breath?

Proverbs – Wow.  Proverbs 15 verse 21 is convicting to me – “Foolishness brings joy to those who have no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.”  Sometimes in the past I got joy from foolishness… not a good sign!  And yes, I noticed sometimes that when I was getting joy from foolishness I was no longer on the right path…  I’d strayed off a bit…   God brought me back and welcomed me back on the right path once I got my senses.  I pray we can avoid foolishness and the fake joy that comes with it.  There is a difference I believe between healthy rest & play – and foolishness.  We should know better.

Worship Video: Today’s Proverb reminds me of the wisdom in Rebecca St. James’ beautiful song “You are Loved:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq0gtxumSrU

Do you know that you are loved? Click here for LOVE!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you fully know and realize that Jesus is God. Pray and worship Jesus as God. Pray to the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in thanksgiving for their blessed Trinitarian nature.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  How are you doing with discerning the difference between healthy rest & play and foolishness in your life today?  Do you ever veer toward foolishness?  Why do you suppose this happens?   Is this healthy?  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

1 Samuel 24:1-25:44
When we are in sin we become illogical, irrational and unreasonable. Here we see a picture of a man who marshals all the resources available too him and channels all his energy to pursue a personal grudge. The pursuit of David in reality is a fight against God. Saul’s response to David after David shows him that he had the ability to take his life, lets us know that Saul knew just like God had anointed him king, God had removed the kingship from him and given it to David.

Saul had a “beef” with God. I believe no matter what our excuse or justification we put forth when we rebel against rightful leadership, spiritual or political, we are fighting against God. The lawlessness and crime committed against people, family friends or foe, is are puny attempt to fight against God.

There are clear contrasts between David’s response to Saul’s physical pursuit against him to take his life, and Nabal’s insult: one wanted to harm his body, the other harmed his feelings. Saul pursued David for years; Nabal’s insult came by way of messenger and probably took a couple of minutes to convey. How do we respond to a “slight?” Do we muster up a greater desire to carry out revenge and retaliate when we are insulted then when confronted with the possibility of direct physical harm? Thank God for the people who are placed in our paths to speak reason into our lives. If David had been allowed to continue on his path to destroy Nabal and all of his servants, he would have become as corrupted as Saul. That thought gives me great pause to think as well as give me a greater understand of, “There but for the grace of God go I.”

John 10:22-42
It annoys me to no end when people ask me a question, pretending to want information, then turn and challenge the answer given. I’m not talking about a test situation but people pretending that they don’t know something but in reality they are setting you up. Jesus went thought this experience daily, religious leaders asking only to try and trick Him but never could. I don’t know about you but I think I would give up doing that after the first year, and surly after the second, or would I?

Jesus had already told them previously that they were like their father, the Devil and he never gives up. The trickery didn’t work and not only could they not trap Him, they couldn’t even arrest Him because it wasn’t His time.

I love the last two verses of this reading because it shows that there is a “remnant” that adhered to and clung to Jesus because they honestly took the words of the Prophets, the words of John the Baptist and measured Jesus by them and found He measured up.

Psalm 116:1-19
1 I love the LORD because he hears
and answers my prayers.

In the book of First John the writer pens this statement, 19 We love Him, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) For me that is a true statement not based on theology but based on my own experience. When I first came to faith it wasn’t because someone had dragged me to church. Like Saul I was in deep rebellion of God. I hated anything and everything that smacked of Church, Jesus, God and any and every religion. Church folk had so scarred me that by the time I was sixteen I had pronounced God dead. It is a good thing that God didn’t take orders from me.

Almost twenty years latter I found myself in total despair but that didn’t change my mind it only opened it to a challenge I received, “You can spend all day debating whether or not there is a God. The only way you are going to really find out is to try some of His commands and see if they work. If they don’t throw everything out in the trash, if they do then keep it.” I tried and I kept. I love God because I know deep down in the very fiber of my being that He loves Me.

Psalm 34
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
Proverbs 15:20-21
We try to justify, quantify and rationalize unacceptable behavior, but the writer of Proverbs lays all that raunchy disrespectful rebellious behavior on “sin” and the “i” that is in the middle of it all.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== Anka:

There seems to be so many sides to David,it’s amazing.He called Saul father and the words he spoke seem filled with pain.David didn’t seem angry at Saul,just deeply hurt.He didn’t act in anger even when Saul was close by…anger would have led him Kill Saul.
Yet in the case of Nabal,David doesn’t seem so humble any more.I would presume a godly man would protect others not so they’d pay him back,rather would look to God for his needs.True,hospitality was expected in those days,it may have even been a custom to invite people during a time of feasting.Nabal should have been filled with gratitude that David who had fought so many battles for the Lord had protected his sheep yet David should have let God avenge the wrong doing but he set out furious to kill him.Then women become a problem.David doesn’t ever mention his wife Michal,when Abigail becomes a widow he marries her as well as Ahinoam so David now lives with 2 women and has a third wife somewhere.Ramona mentioned not forsaking the gathering of believers in an email and here I see the consequences of running with the wrong crowd.His men urged him to kill Saul,maybe(just guessing)they also incited him against Nabal.David God had said was a man after his own heart yet here I see a man who is really far from perfect and honestly,no woman’s dream husband.
Prayer life:personally I have heard of being in the Lord’s presence,fullness of Joy,great experiences.For me,sometimes it takes a lot of faith to keep on keeping on in prayer.There are times that I wonder if there’s something I’m doing wrong.I’ve heard about prayer time being a time when you talk to god and God talks back.Well faith is the evidence of things not seen…prayer for me is just talking,hoping against hope that I’m not just speaking to myself and that someday I too can be part of that fullness of joy that comes from being alone in God’s presence and not emotional joy that comes from a good worship song during service.
God bless you all
Anka

====== Sue:

======= John:

Six words that validate the Old Testament
Verification of Old Testament
Part of John 10:35
“-and the Scripture cannot be broken-”
Words spoken by Jesus that authenticate the Old Testament.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were from the time shortly before Christ. They authenticated the Old Testament copies of 1000 A.D. Almost an exact match.
So Jesus saying the content of the Old Testament is valid, authenticates the Old Testament we read today.
Of course the interpretation is up debated from time to time, but the content (text) is the “WORD” of God.
John

======= John:

John 10
The Good Shepherd
Literal translation:
“I am the shepherd, the good one…”
good (gk.kalos) means excellent, preeminent, lovely, beautiful.
“I am the shepherd, the excellent preeminent, lovely, beautiful one.”
In John 6 Jesus is greater than Moses, In John 8 Jesus is greater than Abraham, Here in John 10 Jesus says he is the preeminent shepherd. Thus Jesus is greater than David.
In addition there is a claim to deity. Psalm 80 calls God the Shepherd of Israel. The Jew knew that the true excellent Shepherd was God.
vs. 11
…The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Foreshadowing crucifixion, but the word of note here is “life”. Greek has two words for life:
bios – just the breathing part of life
zoe – the circumstances of life
But John uses “psuche” for life it means a man’s soul,the total man inside.
The Good shepherd poured out his soul for his sheep, and Matthew uses the same word for life in Matt 20:28. Jesus did not just die on the cross, he gave his comlpete being, everything he had for us.
“The good shepherd lays down his life FOR the sheep.”
“For” is Gk.huper. Means in behalf of, for the sake of. For their sake, for our sake he died on the cross.
Vs. 14
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ”
Every “know” in this chapter is Gk. ginosko. It is the same know as Matt 7:23. It is the intimate, personal knowledge of one antoher, symbolized by the coupling of man and wife, two as one. That is how Jesus knows his sheep, how the Father and He know each other, and if we are saved how we are to know Christ and He us.
======================================================
John 10:26-28
“but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
John 10:16
“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
These passages are really the first I can recall that emphasize my belief in election and the security of salvation.
His sheep will hear his voice and follow. Other sheep (Gentiles) will also hear and follow forming one flock. Other sheep will not follow because they are not His sheep. You must be His sheep to hear and follow Jesus. No one can snatch one of His sheep out of His hand.
“and they shall never perish….of my hand.” gives me assurance in my salvation. Not having to worry about that, I can concentrate on my growth as a Christian.
If one does not believe in “election” that is ok by me. I just say to people: “Fine, WHOMSOEVER WILL.”
John

1 Samuel 22:1-23:29 + John 10:1-21 + Psalm 115:1-18 + Proverbs 15:18-19
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Very sad readings today in First Samuel 22 as we read about the slaughter of the priests.  Sadly fitting that Doeg betrayed the priests to Saul and then Saul commanded Doeg to kill the priests, because no one else would.  This whole incident shows how far Saul has strayed away from God.  He has lost his moral compass completely. It’s interesting to recall earlier in our First Samuel readings how Saul looked like he might be a decent king initially.  But, then he was disobedient to God.  And then his sin continued and continued to where he is in today’s readings.  This should be a warning to each of us to not stray from God like this.  If we are allowing ourselves to be disobedient to God or if we are continuing in a sin, we are slaves to that sin.  And this slavery to sin can grow and grow until we lose all moral control, as Saul has.  This image below by Gerard Hoet from a 1728 Bible is courtesy of Bizzell Bible Collection, University of Oklahoma Libraries:

I love the mini-reunion of Jonathan and David in First Samuel 23 verses 16 & 17 – “Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father is well aware.”  What great words of encouragement from Jonathan!  Who is the last person you encouraged?  Do you make it a habit to encourage people around you regularly?  Who is someone you can encourage big-time today or tomorrow?

 

Bible.org’s commentary on our First Samuel readings today titled “Saul Loses His Grip” is at this link and commentary titled “A Friend Indeed” is at this link.

New Testament – I love Jesus’ teachings today in John 10 verses 9 & 10 – “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”   What a great analogy – Jesus is the gateway to salvation.  Life in relationship with Jesus will be full of green pastures – this reminds me of Psalm 23 verse 2!   And then Jesus tells us that his purpose is to give us life in all its fullness.  I think all too often we look for fullness of life in all the wrong places…  when all we have to do is walk through the gate.  Have you walked through the gate?

Jesus calling himself the Good Shepherd is so very beautiful and fitting in verses 14 &15 – “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”   After we walk through the gate of faith to fullness of life with Jesus, he will be our Good Shepherd forever.  He is a shepherd that knows us – and we know him.  He will protect us with his rod and staff – again, a little Psalm 23 verse 4.  🙂  And more than anything else, this Good Shepherd has laid down his life for us.   Do you consider Jesus to be your Good Shepherd?

Bible.org’s commentary on our John 10 readings today titled “The Good Shepherd” is at this link.

Psalms – Today in Psalm 115 verse 1 we will read – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory.” (Chris Tomlin fans out there will recognize this as one of his many awesome worship tunes. . .) I don’t know how this verse strikes you, but it strikes me hard. Which is good. I think sometimes I do things for my own glory. And this verse, and really the entire Bible, is clear that the glory is God’s and not ours. Yeah, sure, we will live our lives full of “glorious” moments when we are loving God and loving people. But, we should not be living our lives to build up our own fame or our own glory. As Rick Warren states so well in the 1st sentence of the 1st chapter of his book “Purpose Driven Life”- “It is not about you.” And this is true. It is about God. And this is good news! Really. I have tried to live my life in the past where it was all about me. And this was a miserable way to live life. I pray that you see the incredible wisdom in this verse – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory.” How are you living your life? Are you living your life to advance the fame and glory of God? Are you doing this by loving God and loving other people with all that you are? Or, are you by chance living your life to advance the fame and glory of yourself? And if so. . . how’s this going for you?

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verse 19 today teaches us: “A lazy person has trouble all through life; the path of the upright is easy!” This is a great reminder that we should live our lives upright, intentionally, and not be afraid of a little hard work!

Worship Video: Per Psalm 115:1 reflections above, here’s Chris Tomlin’s beautiful song “Sovereign” live at Red Rocks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVpk-QmISRo

Do you know our sovereign God? Click here for Sovereignty!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “I (Jesus) am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray in thanksgiving to Jesus for laying down his life for you, if you have given your life over in faith to Him. Thank him for being your Good Shepherd! Pray for the lost “sheep” that you know, that they would come to know Jesus as their Good Shepherd.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

1 Samuel 22-23:29

Wow, David had to have been some leader. If I saw these guys coming toward me, I would be running for the “Border.” I know that I’m quick to check out the “character” of those hanging around me and I usually inch away from folks who are the type of people that flocked to David. Rebellious people will usually rebel against you so it would take intense mentoring to guide a group like this.

2 And everyone in distress or in debt or discontented gathered to him, and he became a commander over them. And there were with him about 400 men.

I find it quit interesting that David uses his father’s connection to the Moabites to protect his mother and father. David’s father, Jessie, was the grandson of Ruth (Ruth 4:17). Because David sends his parents to stay in Moab before the Saul has the priest’s killed, David undeniably had a keen understanding of the lengths Saul would go to kill him and his family.

Saul’s promises of special privileges, implied or direct, had been used with his army as a motivational “tool” to get someone to kill Goliath, but Saul seemed to be someone who didn’t or wouldn’t keep his word. In the twenty-second chapter, he uses the carrot again to get people to pursue and fight an ungodly fight, the pursuit of David at all cost,

7 “Listen here, you men of Benjamin!” Saul shouted when he heard the news. “Has David promised you fields and vineyards? Has he promised to make you commanders in his army? 8 Is that why you have conspired against me? For not one of you has ever told me that my own son is on David’s side. You’re not even sorry for me. Think of it! My own son–encouraging David to try and kill me!”

Saul doesn’t appeal to his men’s sense of “righteousness” but he appeals to their emotions by throwing a pity party, a poor me gripe session. If we take this scenario and place it in today’s churches, we can use it as a guide to evaluate appeals by unscrupulous “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” I believe a call to spiritual arms should never be based on emotion and sentiment so an appeal to consider, “Poor me as I suffer for the Lord,” should cause the ringing of bells and blowing of whistles to go off in one’s head. If Israel represented a type of the church then, our churches hold the capacity and potential to be just as ruthless and deadly as Saul. But for God and the fact that David had not served the purpose God had created him for, we would never be reading this wonderful story about David.

“For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. (Acts 13:36). Our obedience to the will of God is what keeps us alive and if we are not severing our purpose, God’s mercy holds us back from the grave.

John 10:1-21

This chapter is jammed pack with stuff. Jesus is the gate, the gatekeeper, the shepherd, the Good Shepherd. He is the go to guy for all of our needs.

This verse is powerful, “10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness,” and sets every other belief system at odds with Jesus. Jesus emphatically states that anyone other than He is a crook and a murderer and He is ”intolerant” to anything else. I guess Jesus is a Politically Incorrect man and God.

This passage contains the words that should stop everyone and anyone looking to blame Jesus’ crucifixion on a specific group of people.

17 “The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command.”

The writer of Hebrews even states, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (12:2)” What was the joy set before Jesus? Our redemption from sin, death, hell and the grave.
Psalm 115:1-18

Idols are dead things which cannot move, who cannot do anything for us. We have to carry our idols around; well most of the things we worship we must carry around. I find the most damning thing in this particular division of Psalm is verse 8 (my paraphrase) “We become what we worship, we take on the characteristics of the thing we give our adoration too. That is a sobering thought. Flip that thought or statement over and one could say, “I can tell who or what your God is by observing who you are!”

8 And those who make them are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.

Who am I, what are the fruit of my worship?

Proverbs 15:18-19

19 A lazy person has trouble all through life; the path of the upright is easy!

This is the first time I’m seeing this in this particular verse, but I know people who have bad things happen to their bad things. And I just realize the ones that I know really well, are lazy. They might not be lazy physically, but they refuse to use common sense in living their lives. They want someone else to tell them what to do because they don’t want to be held accountable for their decisions, “It not my fault I so and so told me to do it this way. They refuse to expend the time and energy to search for wisdom. Wow and boy oh boy or boy. Do I see me in all of this?

Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Anka:

Saul had totally lost all form of respect for God.He knew Ahimelech heard from the Lord therefore the Lord was still with him yet he had him killed using a gentile.I can’t help but wonder how this really happened…did 85 priests just sit and wait for one Edomite to slay them all or did Saul’s officials finally decide to join in the slaughter…
I guess this may be a bit controversial…I couldn’t help wondering if what happened to the priests came as judgement on the house of Eli and his sons(I couldn’t find any scripture to clear me on that one)…The priests seemed godly men and their slaughter by ungodly men does raise the usual questions”why did God let that happen”.
We can see David getting encouragement when he’s at his lowest;the people he fought to save from the philistines are willing to give him up,each time he looks at Abiathar he remembers that priests got killed because of him,Saul’s hot on his heels….then his beloved friend Jonathan comes to remind him that God is still on his side.It’s also amazing that Saul stops at nothing to kill David yet when the philistines attack Israel,he turns back even though he’s so close to capturing David.God made him do that!Saul was capable of throwing his spear at Jonathan in public because of David,killed innocent priests because of David,surely he couldn’t have cared less if all Israel burned down if only he could get David….yet he turned back!
The question still rises up in my mind…what about the priests and their families…slaughtered like sheep.Reading Bob’s commentary,I guess when Jesus promises abundant life surely he meant eternal life.Daily we hear of christians killed during missions and it really doesn’t go with the prosperity gospel that we hear so much about.True nobody likes to preach about poverty but Jesus became poor so we could be rich…we are called to share in his sufferings.I pray for grace and understanding to be able to God will inspite of the costs.
God bless you all

Anka

====== Jim:

The friendship between David and Jonathan reminds me of the bonds developed by men who have served together on the field of battle. God seems to use this fraternal bond to encourage David in his most desperate time and it causes a son to turn on his father. Just a thought.
Jim

====== Sue:

What is with this ungrateful city of Keilah? David saves them from the Philistines and they show their gratitude by being willing to turn him over to Saul?

Is there some virus floating in the air? Saul is so focused on killing David. Has anyone read A Tale of Three kings? by Gene Edwards? (Good read.)

Anyway, who would have known God would have the Philistines attack at just the right time and to turn Saul’s head to that situation? Oftentimes I pray and have it all mapped out about how God should answer my prayers so that the outcome is to my liking, but I need to remember these types of passages, because God always has an “Ace in the hole” or a “trump card” that He can use to bring about His desires. Praise God~

Alrighty then, this good Shepherd story reminds me of when Jesus was talking just the other day about the slave having no rights but family being in solid.
It also reminds me of a story I heard about there being three kinds of people: Sheepdogs, wolves, and sheep. Wolves don’t become sheep; sheep cannot be wolves, and the job of the sheepdog is to protect the sheep from the wolves. I am sure you all can draw from the analogy here.

Idols. umm. umm. I guess sheep don’t recognize idols. We are not the sharpest pencils on the desk, are we?

Patience. We all know the axiom there, don’t we? We all want it but we don’t want to go through what it takes to get it.

Sue

====== John:

Jim

Amen. I spent six years in the peace time Navy. Most of it on one ship (an aircraft carrier). We worked long hours, fought fires, repaired machinery that couldn’t be repaired and formed bonds that I have only seen on some sports teams – (and that does not compare). I can only imagine how more intense the friendships and bonding are during war and when the men are in combat.

Sue: Keilah

Nothing is 100%. take a look at any poll today and no matter the question there will be a split amongst the respondants.

I am sure the city was grateful to David. The Philistines had attacked when the harvest was in, so this was a critical victory. However, no matter how grateful, I am sure Saul had some segment of the city in his camp (corner).

In addition, there is the fear factor. Since a priest had escaped they knew of the slaughter of priests and probably the annihilation of Nob.

“Why would the people of Keliah betray the man who just saved their city? No doubt, they heard of Saul’s brutal massacre of the priests (1 Samuel 22:16-19), so they knew Saul would stop at nothing to kill David.” (from enduring word.com)

They did not turn David over to Saul, we only know that if David had stayed God said they would have given David over to Saul. In the end they were spared from Philistines and Saul.

Note: The Ziphites were Judeans, and their sole reason for helping Saul appears to be to get in the good graces of Saul. For benefits or just to avoid his wrath?????

John

====== Johnnie:

====

I Samuel 22:1-23:29

There is sooooo much meat in today’s reading, so many things to hone in on yet, I can’t get away from a verse in Proverbs that keeps coming to me over and over again every time I read today’s Old Testament passage,

THE WICKED flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion. [Lev. 26:17, 36; Ps. 53:5.] When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but when the ruler is a man of discernment, understanding, and knowledge, its stability will long continue. (Proverbs 28:1-2 AMP)

I became stuck with this passage and didn’t know why. “God, what does this have to do with the passage? David is the one who is running from Saul; is David “wicked” because he is running; but Saul IS after Him,” what am I missing? “God what are you trying to tell me?”

And then I heard in the middle of the day after “seeking,” knocking,” “asking” about the meaning, “The wicked flee from the face of truth, that is what they are running from!” Never have I looked at those verses in Proverbs as speaking about anything other than one human who is paranoid because of evil deeds fleeing from another. Saul’s pursuit of David was not really about David although David was the object of Saul’s desire. Saul’s pursuit was all about fleeing from the truth that he had been removed from his spiritual authority over Israel and as the spirt goes, there goes the man.

What are we pursuing and are we pursuing it out of our fleeing from the Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NET.)

I think I was given some insight into why those in Truth are persecuted. It’s really not about us, its all about Jesus.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! (Acts 9:4-5 NET.)

Saul hadn’t touched Jesus physically; however, because Jesus was and is the Truth, any assault against those who speak the Truth, love the Truth, live by the Truth is an assault against Jesus.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====

====== Jim:

David gathered his family and followers near a cave near the city of Adullam (which was where David wrote Psalm 142 and possibly 57). David then runs to Moab (establishing a strong hold at what is now known at Masada – 1 Sam 22:4) since his great-grandmother was from there and the Moabite king was probably interested in supporting a rebel king of Israel. Saul’s pursuit, however, keeps David on the move (including through Keliah, En Gedi, and finally Ziklag, David’s camp until he moved to Hebron and became king). David continued to attract men discontent with Saul’s uneven rule while Saul further appeals to tribal jealousies in suggesting that only he would likely favor his fellow poor Benjamites (rather than the son of Jesse) and claimed David was a revolutionary and not merely a fugitive. The priest Doeg turned in Ahimelech for helping David. During his own defense, Ahimelech in declaring the innocence of ignorant and faithful, defends David by asking Saul who is more faithful to him than David. Saul orders the death of all priest and their families, but only Doeg complies seeing further opportunity to win the king’s favor (only one priest of the 85 slain survives, Ahimelech’s son Abiathar – mentioned in Mark 2:26 with the incident of David eating the temple bread). This was partial fulfillment of the prophesized judgment against Eli’s house (2:27-36) and probably required the movement of the tabernacle from Nod to Gibeon, where it next appears (1 Chr 16:39 and 1 Kings 3:4). Abiathar had brought the ephod and is protected by David. He becomes David’s faithful priest (to eventually divide the country with Abiatha descendant of Mosses as the 10-tribes Northern priest and Zadok of Judah and descendant of Aaron as the 2-tribes Southern priest, who probably should have had the job alone – I think instead of bringing the two sides together, having two priests brought greater attention on the divergence), so “faithful” that he is not the one to bring David’s sin with Bathsheba to his attention (done by the prophet Nathan) and later joins David’s eldest son Absalom into sinful revolt against God’s chosen next king of Solomon (who later, of course banishes him). Close friendships and working relationships don’t always mix. Even though Saul could not find David, Jonathan locates him, affirms his kingship, and reconfirms the bond between them. With his military command, Jonathan could have been a serious rival to David. Instead he abdicates all authority.
The nation turned to David and not their king for deliverance from the Philistines (as Saul had not fought them for some time), but having a match between skills and needs does not by themselves make a ministry of God and David took the time to seek the will of God on whether he was supposed to deliver Keliah. Today’s popular church strategy to identify gifts in order to know the will of God (sort of a function that follows our form) seems backwards (we all know what happens when we assume). Not only did Sullivan teach us that “form follows function” (and not the other way around), but in the book “How Buildings Learn, What Happens After They’re Built,” Stewart Brand captures the history and evolution of numerous buildings to demonstrate even for the non-architect how buildings must adapt and constantly be refined and reshaped by their occupants. This is likewise true for our bodies as temples for the Spirit. Just because he had memorized the Bible, was committed to people in need (even building a job placement center and homes for the elderly and retarded), and was a charismatic speaker didn’t mean David Keresh (or Vernon Howell) was qualified to be a spiritual leader. Compare David’s faith with Saul who, like a bull in a china shop, was willing to destroy an entire Jewish town for any chance to capture David. David tests his assumptions by asking God whether Saul would come to Keilah and if the people would betray him and he received a “yes” answer to both questions. David’s narrow escape provides the historical background for Psalm 54, “for He had delivered me from all my troubles.”
The Pharisees also professed to the best guides and shepherds of the people even though Jesus had charged them in the last chapter of choosing not to see and thusly being unqualified to lead the people. Jesus proceeds in John 10 to describe the character of a true shepherd (and uses Himself as an example). He tells them that one cannot enter the “sheepfold” on just the duties of teaching and guarding the flock but only by the influences of the Spirit of Jesus. Jesus calls those who claim to be pastors only by ambition and not under His appointment to be thieves and robbers. We have become a people much like those in the days of Christ, so lame and trained to follow any keeper with the utmost docility (and political correctness). How great is our need for a true Shepherd who will gather the strays from the unfenced tempting fields to every side. Many adventures in our spiritual lives are not unlike the wild beast recounted by David that boldly attacked his flock even in his presence (when he often put his life on the line to protect his flock). Compare with Jeremiah 23:1 and Ezekiel 34:2-3.
David fought both a lion and a bear in order to protect the sheep entrusted into his care. If sheep were ever killed, the shepherd was required to produce evidence that the loss had not been his fault (Exodus 22:13). The One Year Bible Companion asks the question today, “What is the difference between the good shepherd in John 10:11, the great shepherd in Hebrews 13:20, and the chief shepherd in 1 Peter 5:4?” It answers, “The good shepherd died for his sheep, the great shepherd conforms the sheep to his image, and the chief shepherd is coming again with his reward for the sheep. The good shepherd’s work is finished, the great shepherd’s work is in the present, and the great shepherd’s work is in the future.” In being our good shepherd, Jesus’ sacrifice was voluntary (“no one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord”), total (He put aside his glory as God the son to enter our world as a vulnerable baby as per Philippians 2:1-11, experienced being forsakened as per Matthew 27:46, and shouldered the entire wrath of God’s hate for our sin), and beneficial (1 Peter 3:18). The word shepherd is also used with reference to congregational leaders metaphorically (and not as a title) to feed (1 Peter 5:2, Acts 20:28, John 21:16) and to care (1 Peter 5:1, Acts 20:17) for the flock. In addition, in John 21:15-17, the entire church seems to be the context when Jesus tells Peter three times to shepherd his sheep. The terms of elder (or pastor) and bishop (or overseer) is linked with the divine being and action of caring for souls of their sheep, but these sheep are not their own as they belong to the Chief Shepherd. It is important for elders to be committed to unanimous agreement on His will before acting (like David does in Keliah) – God has only one will.
The Pharisees and scribes sought wealth, office, and ease at the expense of the people and so well deserved being called thieves and robbers. This is also true for most of our religious leaders today. Although it is federal law that all non-profit corporations must release to the public their five top salaries, few religious organizations comply. Jesus’ words in Mark 10:21 seem clear enough: “One thing you lack: go and sell all you posses, and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.” Kenneth Copeland asserts, however, that God personally revealed to him that this verse actually promises earthly, monetary dividends and says, “This was the biggest financial deal that young man had ever been offered, but he walked away from it because he didn’t know God’s system of finance.” Benny Hinn, Morris Cerullo, etc. likewise all live in million dollar estates with gold plated transports. Joyce Meyers is the most popular woman evangelist today (and brags about her poor education), but she personally keeps 90% of the $100 million per year her ministry draws and her 10,000 square-foot home and $2 million car are but a few of her prized possessions. “But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.” 1 Timothy 6:9-12, “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.”
David supposedly composed Psalm 113-118 on his death bed (at about the age of 70). Psalm 113-114 is sung before the Passover meal and Psalms 115-118, and 136 are sung after. Psalm 115 provides a glorification of the Lord, a comparison with the utter impotence of idols and false gods, and a litany of trust and blessing in the Lord. While the people of the OT were given little revelation concerning death, passages like verse 17 were not talking about the cessation of existence but only that the dead have left the sphere of early activities (compared with the spheres of heaven and silence), the highest of which is to praise the Lord. Hallelujah is Hebrew for “praise the Lord.”
Jim

======= Vance:

I Samuel 23 (NKJV)
9
When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
10
Then David said, “O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.
11
Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.”
12
Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will deliver you.”
John 10 (NKJV)
10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
13
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
Psalm 115 (NKJV)
16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men.
~~~
NOTE:
Of course all of the heaven and the earth are the Lord’s – which is self-evident by the fact that He is Creator and Sustainer of all things.
Yet, the Spirit says that “…the earth He has given to the children of men.” Obviously, Adam and Eve (humanity) were created to be under God’s authority because—obviously—He is Creator. Yet, while being under God’s authority, man was given authority over the earth.
This helps explain one reason why the devil tempted man. The main reason, I am sure, was because the devil hated God. But he also wanted to steal man’s authority over the earth as a way of expressing his hatred and opposition to God.
We are talking spiritual warfare. When Adam chose to follow foolish feelings and sin against by God by giving into temptation to be “a god”, the devil (though not created to be so) became “the god of this world”. Though Satan obtained it illegally (against God’s will), he did obtain this through the deception of sin.
This is why Jesus, being fully and Perfectly Man and fully God, had to be born of a virgin. This is why He had to undergo every temptation of Adam, Israel, and all humanity and overcome every sin and temptation. When He did that, then He was able to re-install redeemed humanity as having spiritual authority over the earth through His own victory.
Matthew 28 (NKJV)
18
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
~~~
We are either agents of light and truth (Father, Son, and Spirit) or darkness and deception (the devil). In reality, no man is a “free moral” agent in the sense of being totally isolated, a being unto himself.
Note Saul, by giving himself over to sin, was more and more controlled. Contrast this with David who sought the Lord’s counsel.
David had intimacy with the Lord. If David had this wonderful privilege in the OT, surely we can and must have the experience of intimacy with the Lord Jesus who came to give us eternal and abundant life because we are His sheep and we know His voice.
How we do know His voice? Because we are His sheep, and He has a very distinctive voice. How do we distinguish His voice from all others? By spending much time with Him, His Written Word, and in His Presence.
Vance

======= John:

Jim
Amen. I spent six years in the peace time Navy. Most of it on one ship (an aircraft carrier). We worked long hours, fought fires, repaired machinery that couldn’t be repaired and formed bonds that I have only seen on some sports teams – (and that does not compare). I can only imagine how more intense the friendships and bonding are during war and when the men are in combat.
Sue: Keilah
Nothing is 100%. take a look at any poll today and no matter the question there will be a split amongst the respondants.
I am sure the city was grateful to David. The Philistines had attacked when the harvest was in, so this was a critical victory. However, no matter how grateful, I am sure Saul had some segment of the city in his camp (corner).
In addition, there is the fear factor. Since a priest had escaped they knew of the slaughter of priests and probably the annihilation of Nob.
“Why would the people of Keliah betray the man who just saved their city? No doubt, they heard of Saul’s brutal massacre of the priests (1 Samuel 22:16-19), so they knew Saul would stop at nothing to kill David.”
They did not turn David over to Saul, we only know that if David had stayed God said they would have given David over to Saul. In the end they were spared from Philistines and Saul.
Note: The Ziphites were Judeans, and their sole reason for helping Saul appears to be to get in the good graces of Saul. For benefits or just to avoid his wrath?????
John

======= John:

Anka,
Great catch on the House of Eli.
None would live to see the prime of life, and those not cut off would be heartbroken – as Ahimelech will be when Zadok is given the High priesthood. (1 Sam 2:30-36)
God uses all to accomplish his ends – even if that all includes someone like Saul.
List of (high) priests of Israel is at this link:
Eli, descendant of Itamar, son of Aaron
Ahitub, son of Phinehas, grandson of Eli
Ahijah, son of Ahitub
Ahimelech, son of Ahijah, High Priest during the reign of King Saul
Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, High Priest during the reign of King David
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_High_Priests_of_Israel
In Bob’s conclusion remarks:
“Because of Eli’s sin of failing to deal with his sons, Eli’s priesthood was to be taken away. The sign that this would happen was the death of his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas (2:34). The next phase of the fulfillment of this prophecy comes in our text, brought about by the insane jealousy of Saul when he orders Doeg, the Edomite, to kill all the priests and their families. One survivor is left, just as God indicated (2:33). The next phase of fulfillment will come in the days of Solomon when the priesthood is taken from Abiathar, the descendant of Aaron’s son, Ithamar, and given to Zadok, the descendant of Aaron through his son, Eleazar (1 Kings 2:27, 35). The full and final fulfillment seems to be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the faithful priest (see Psalm 110; Hebrews 5:6; Revelation 19:16).100
Who would have ever thought that the prophecy of chapters 2 and 3 would be fulfilled as described in chapter 22 by a virtual madman? Even in his disobedience and insanity; even in his rebellion against God by the slaughter of the priests, Saul is being used of God to fulfill His promise, yet in a way that does not impugn the character of God.
Notice the similarity between the prophecies God made concerning Eli’s priesthood in chapters 2 and 3 and the prophecies God gives concerning Saul’s kingship in chapters 13 and 15. Because of his sin in failing to deal with his sons’ abuse of their priesthood, Eli’s priesthood was taken away. A significant part of this we now see described in chapter 22. Is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Eli here not given to us at this point in the story to buttress the prophecy God made concerning Saul’s kingship? Just as surely as Eli’s priesthood was taken away a few years and a few chapters later, so Saul’s kingship is taken away a few years and a few chapters later. God always keeps His promises, and He sometimes does so by employing the most unlikely instruments.”
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=368
John

======= John:

Jan,
I would propose that Saul lost the holy Spirit, so there was a vacuum. God allowed an evil spirit from Satan to occupy Saul.
[Note: this is similar to idea that a sealed believer can not be possessed by Satan. the two spirits can not occupy the same body.]
Even allowing the evil spirit in Saul, God is still in control. (just like with Job). Even though Satan rebelled against God to be his Adversary, it is ironic that in his adversarial role he still is part of the work of God’s plan. So his rebellion has gained him nothing, he is actually a “slave” to the Lord’s plan (probably unwittingly).
I say all this, because I propose that it is not Saul being tested, but David. Through an “evil” Saul, David is the one being put through the wringer. God uses Satan, the evil spirit and Saul to fulfill the curse on House of Eli, and put David through the fire. Note: David always seems to seek the Lord.
Just like with Job, David was not to be killed (that was not in God’s plan), but he certainly was harassed and tested.
John

======== Ramona:

I Samuel 22:1-23:29
There is sooooo much meat in today’s reading, so many things to hone in on yet, I can’t get away from a verse in Proverbs that keeps coming to me over and over again every time I read today’s Old Testament passage,
THE WICKED flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion. [Lev. 26:17, 36; Ps. 53:5.] When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but when the ruler is a man of discernment, understanding, and knowledge, its stability will long continue. (Proverbs 28:1-2 AMP)
I became stuck with this passage and didn’t know why. “God, what does this have to do with the passage? David is the one who is running from Saul; is David “wicked” because he is running; but Saul IS after Him,” what am I missing? “God what are you trying to tell me?”
And then I heard in the middle of the day after “seeking,” knocking,” “asking” about the meaning, “The wicked flee from the face of truth, that is what they are running from!” Never have I looked at those verses in Proverbs as speaking about anything other than one human who is paranoid because of evil deeds fleeing from another. Saul’s pursuit of David was not really about David although David was the object of Saul’s desire. Saul’s pursuit was all about fleeing from the truth that he had been removed from his spiritual authority over Israel and as the spirt goes, there goes the man.
What are we pursuing and are we pursuing it out of our fleeing from the Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NET.)
I think I was given some insight into why those in Truth are persecuted. It’s really not about us, its all about Jesus.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! (Acts 9:4-5 NET.)
Saul hadn’t touched Jesus physically; however, because Jesus was and is the Truth, any assault against those who speak the Truth, love the Truth, live by the Truth is an assault against Jesus.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======== John:

John 10:9
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” NIV
Someone once told me a shepherd could lay down at the gate of his pen, and the sheep would walk over him (not hurting him) and exit the pen. If a stranger lays in the gate – the sheep will not go near the gate. Have no verification on this anecdote.
However, Jesus is that gate and when we go through Him we are saved. We will have the benefits of security by being in him (in the pen), and the ability (and mandate) to go outside the pen into the world. Throughout it all we will be taken care of and find pasture (nourishment) for our life in Christ.
John

===== Laura:

Very Thankful for the Word and the worship!
Laura

1 Samuel 20:1-21:15 + John 9:1-41 + Psalm 113:1-114:8 + Proverbs 15:15-17
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Old Testament – Great readings about Jonathan & David today!  1 Samuel 20 verse 13 today seems to indicate that Jonathan realizes that David will be the king after his father Saul: “May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father.”  Verse 17 is beautiful – “For Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.”  Who are people in your life that you love as much as you love yourself?  Do you think that there should be people in your life that you love as much as you love yourself?  Do you love Jesus as much as you love yourself?  Do you think that God loves you as much as He loves Himself?

Below is the artist Rembrandt’s take on Jonathan & David from possibly verse 41:  “Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.”

In First Samuel 21 as David is fleeing from Saul, we read verse 6 which Jesus refers to in the New Testament – “So, since there was no other food available, the priest gave David the holy bread–the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the LORD in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.”  Jesus uses this incident to illustrate the principle that the ceremonial law was not to be viewed in a legalistic manner in Matthew chapter 12 verses 3 & 4 – “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.”  I love verse 13!  David is definitely a good actor – “So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.”

Bible.org’s commentary on our First Samuel readings today titled “When Saul Slings His Spear, Jonathan Gets the Point” is at this link and “A Man Without a Country” is at this link.

New Testament – Jesus’ teaching in John chapter 9 verse 3 is powerful – “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.”  Wow.  He was born blind so that God’s power could be seen in him.  I wonder about this in our lives today.  When we have challenges or struggles, is it possible that they are happening so that the power of God can been seen?  I know this can be tough to fathom when you are in the midst of a challenge or struggle – or, if you are blind for example, like this man in John 9.  But…  no matter what life throws our way, do you think that God’s power can be seen in any circumstance?  Below is Cretan-born painter El Greco’s “Christ Healing the Blind Man” from the year 1567:

Verse 27 is great when the healed man says – “”Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?””   Hmmm…. Verses 39 through 40 are a dialogue that each one of us should reflect upon – “Then Jesus told him, “I have come to judge the world. I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”  The Pharisees who were standing there heard him and asked, “Are you saying we are blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”  How are we behaving today?  Are we allowing Jesus to give us spiritual sight?  Or do we think we can see well enough spiritually without Jesus?  Without Jesus, can we see or are we blind…?  Will we allow Jesus to heal us of our spiritual blindness right now?

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s John readings titled “The Light of the World” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 113 & 114 today are very interesting and important Psalms!  These are 2 of 6 Psalms, 113 to 118, that form the “Egyptian Hallel.”  These Psalms were used in Jewish liturgy at the great religious festivals of Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication, Weeks, New Moon.  At Passover Psalm 113 & 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 – 118 were sung after the meal.  As you read these two Psalms today, do you sense joy in the Lord’s work?  Justice?  Glory?  Power?  Does reading these two Psalms make you want to celebrate and give thanks for the Lord and all he has done throughout history and in your life?

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verses 16 & 17 today are so powerfully true – “It is better to have little with fear for the LORD than to have great treasure with turmoil. A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.”  However, what then do we do about a steak soup combo??  (sorry, couldn’t resist a bad attempt at humor…  thanks to this image below… 🙂 

Worship Video: Today’s reading in John about Jesus healing a man born blind reminded me of Phil Wickham’s song “Safe:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzhuirT74VU

Are you safe in His arms? Click here for Safety!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” Proverbs 15:16-17 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will be content with little in your life, as long as you have the wealth of a relationship with the LORD. Pray that your meals are filled with more love than with fancy foods.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Do you agree with today’s Proverb that it is better to have just a little and fear the Lord versus having much and much turmoil?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Anka:

This is a pretty long post..

David,a man after God’s own heart was painfully human.He lied and is about to get the priest into trouble(I’m sure Saul’s shepherd wasn’t eavedropping just out of curiosity)then David acts like a lunatic to save his life.I couldn’t help wondering,was this idea of acting inspired by God?David his annointed was really not behaving like a king.At the same time,I can’t help wondering how Jesus’s disciples felt seeing their master beaten,spat on then hung naked to die on a cross.Where was all the power that Jesus displayed and spoke about?It may be easy for us to believe without having seen Jesus humiliated.Even though there’s a controversy surrounding the movie The passion of Christ,I think every Christian should see it because it shows a vivid picture of how Christ truly suffered and was humiliated.The amazing thing is God was watching and even through this suffering and rejction,He still was working.David may have been discouraged yet when his life was saved,he attributed it all to God(psalms 34,56).I pray for the strength to look up to God when in trouble.David ran from Samuel in Ramath to Jonathan who was near Saul.In times of pain and confusion we sometimes even loose our ability to think clearly.Running to our enemy(negative thoughts,alcohol,drugs…the enemies arms)rather than remain on our knees in prayer.

The Jews seemed to want the blind man to doubt his testimony.He didn’t know Jesus but believed the devil couldn’t have set him free.The blind man didn’t think Jesus used his own powers,he replied to them “he is a prophet”and when they tried to get him to think Jesus was a sinner,he hung to his miracle…he may have thought”well I don’t know how Jesus stands before God,but I know God worked through him to give me a miracle and I know God doesn’t answer sinners”.

This man couldn’t care less if he was thrown out of the synagoge,there was an element of defiance in his reply”I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”He wasn’t going to change his testiomny nor was he going to accept to smear the character of the man he received his miracle from.When asked by Jesus if he knew the son of man,this former begger didn’t say no,he wanted to know who Jesus really was then worshipped Him when Jesus revealed himself.

We may falter in our faith due to discouragement but we should never let go of our convictions.At the end of the day what satan tries to do is attack our knowledge of who God really is.When we go through humilitaion,doubt,despair,satan comes to attack our relationship with a “well if God is love,how can he let this happen to you,if God takes care of your needs then why do you have to count pennies,if God is a father then how could he let your child die,if you’re created in God’s image,then why do you have a disability?”etc.The trick is I guess keep walking,crawl if you have to but never let go of your convictions…if you feel those convictions slip away,then stick to God’s word.I humbly believe it is for times like these that God had put the desire in Mike’s heart to start this blog so you can see wounded soliers cling to their swords(the word) and you can see that God is still present in our days.He still is in the business of getting us out of the enemies arms if we cry out.

God bless you all!
Anka

======== Ramona:

1 Samuel 20-21:15

Anka—Thank you for your wonderful words. Words that not only cause us to think but words that inspire and encourage.

In thinking about what you wrote, Anka, the question comes up, “What and whom did David fear? We lie and operate out of deception because we fear for our lives, our reputation or falling out of favor with man, and maybe God. We fear that our true selves with be revealed if we tell the truth. Truth is confrontational, especially the truth about ourselves. The question what information and from whom are we believing. Back in the Garden Adam and Eve hid after they sinned because their eyes were opened. When God asked them, “Where are you,” He wasn’t asking them logistical information He knew where they were. He was asking them because He knew where they where but did they truly know their standing and how far they had fallen God’s response to them when they said they were naked so they hid was, “Who told you?” What and whose information was David believing about himself, about Saul and about His God?

David thought Saul would kill him despite the Word of the Lord he had heard from Samuel, despite the acknowledgement and confirmation of the Word from his friend Jonathan. Was there something going on in David’s life that made him forget that Promise or did he, like many of us, negate the promise because of a feeling of inferiority, of some false guilt, of a sense that God is not able to bring what He has promised to pass?

When “running for our lives,” do we run to our enemies, as Anka has noted, or do we run to the Rock that is higher than ourselves.

Thank God for his mercy and grace when we miss it by more than a mile or kilometer.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== Shelley:

Really enjoying reading this blog and all the food for thought. I haven’t much new to add to what already has been said. I also enjoyed Ps 113:6 where is says that God humbleth Himself to behold the things in heaven! I have no idea of the greatness of God. WOW! or should I say “Selah” Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us.

Shelley

====== Jan:

======= Jim:

On the run, David asks a priest for a weapon and temple food and then act as if mad (which was assumed at the time to signify demonic possession) to escape after foolishly taking Goliath’s sword with him to hide in Goliath’s home town. Jesus will later commend the priest’s actions as an illustration of the principle underlying His own healing on the Sabbath (Matt 12:3-4, Mark 2:23-28) that the moral obligation to preserve and enrich human life supersedes ceremonial obligations. David lied to Ahimelech about being on a secret mission for the king (and perhaps about his men not having been with women for 3 days) – this lie (and the foolishness in thinking that Deog would not tell the king) will precipitate a great tragedy for all the priest of Nob (22:6-19). The Talmud explains away the apparent breach of the law of eating the holy bread, however, on the basis that the preservation of life takes precedent over nearly all other commandments in the Law (see Leviticus 24:9). We have seen many negative consequences of Saul’s poor behavior. Today he tries to get his own son to help in killing David and ends up being violent towards Jonathan himself.
We can always see spiritual truth if we are strong enough to accept it. Jesus heals a blind man that the Pharisees badger while refusing Christ as a messenger of God. The ex-blind man asks them directly what the Pharisees are trying to hide, how could Jesus do such miracles if He were not from God? Jesus summarizes that only the blind are innocent – but the Pharisees are not blind. The miracle and attitude is replicated in every spiritual birth: “though I was blind, now I see.” The Pharisees’ sin was not ignorance of what Christ was saying or of whom He was, but that of seeing and knowing Christ and still hating Him. Their rejection of Jesus was deliberate, so they were guilty of the most terrible of all sins.
Sodom and Gomorrah were not even Jewish towns and Christ said in Matthew 10:15, “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” Not only does this suggest that the punishment for unbelievers (such as those who didn’t believe Noah that Christ visited in death) might be tolerable but that there is a worse sin with a less tolerable punishment than theirs. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.” And since the only people that can know the Holy Spirit to speak blasphemy against Him are Judo-Christians, are they the only ones who can fail to be forgiven with a guaranteed trip to Hell (and not simple God-blasphemying atheists or Jesus-blasphemying cultists)? The greatest punishment “in this world and the next” is for the greatest sin of having eyes but refusing to see. As Spiderman’s dad tells him, with greater power comes greater responsibility (and greater consequences).
Popular wisdom of the time was that sickness was always a punishment for sin, perhaps for those one will commit or even ancestral sins, but Jesus says that the blind man’s disability was so that the works of God could be known (see Romans 8:28). This is something to remember the next time we’re asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Christ’s disciples, though, seemed more moved by theological curiosity that by concern over the man’s condition. Christ answers that we should use every opportunity to help others. We should not just come to Christ to see reality but to experience it as well (just as the “happy mother of children” in Psalm 113:9 knows both the value of fruitfulness as well as the simple joy of having children). Schnarch (the most respected marriage counselor of the past few decades) has shown that failed communications, missing empathy, and even sexual perversions are not the causes of relationship gridlocks. Everyone most certainly knows what everyone else wants (for one thing, because we all essentially want the same things). The problem is that we simply refuse to accommodate win-win outcomes because of a fear of being powerless and the need to use others as validation. The root of failing spiritual maturity is never about seeing better but in unhealthy behavior and insufficient remorse.
Celebrants of the Passover today normally read or sing Psalms 113-114 before the meal as part of the retelling of the story of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Psalm 113 focuses the worshiper on the grace of the merciful redeemer who bends down from heaven to meet the needs of his people and Psalm 114 recalls the reason for the Passover celebration – Israel’s deliverance from Egypt in specific and the earth trembling before the almighty Lord in general. They are a wonderful companion to the songs of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15. After the Passover meal, Psalms 115-118, and 136 are sung.
Jim

======= Vance:

I Samuel 20 (The Message)
13
And GOD be with you as he’s been with my father!
14
If I make it through this alive, continue to be my covenant friend. And if I die,
15-16
keep the covenant friendship with my family–forever. And when GOD finally rids the earth of David’s enemies, stay loyal to Jonathan!”
17
Jonathan repeated his pledge of love and friendship for David. He loved David more than his own soul!
42
Jonathan said, “Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in GOD’s name, saying, “GOD will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!’”
NOTE:
Covenant is such wonderful and permanently binding, partly because in today’s society. It is such an amazing thing today it is so rare. It is easy to “cut and run” when the going gets tough.
But remember: “Tough times never last, but tough people do”. I am not talking about “positive thinking” or merely what was called “intestinal fortitude” when I was in basic training for the U.S. Army.
Yes… those are important attitudes and qualities to have. May we be “strong in the covenant of the Lord and in the power of His might.” And His power is made perfect in the very weakness that my humanity despises so much. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 and 12:9)
~~~
Jesus has likened spiritual life and the Kingdom of God to like being a seed. One of my most favorite verses is John 12 (NKJV)
24
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
25
He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
~~~
As Christians, we are in the process of dying to the residue of the sinful man and sinful humanity in order to completely put on Christ—the fullness of righteousness, life and peace.
Our spirits are made righteous by God’s grace. Our souls and bodies are redeemed, and in the process of being completely saved.
Yet, to understand this takes wisdom. It is ironic that modern society is so caught up in the current craze of the “Gnostic Jesus” and the “Gnostic gospels”.
Why?
For today’s society builds up the flesh, the body—and worships the flesh and the body—at the expense of the spiritual because of “science” and “existentialism”.
Yet, the Gnostics taught that the body was evil. That is why in the so-called “gospel of Judas”, the so-called “Gnostic Jesus” needed Judas’ help to get to the cross—after all that Jesus supposedly saw his body as evil and as a barrier to purity.
No… our bodies are not evil, and neither is matter. Rather, all aspects of our personalities are tainted by sin as is all of creation.
THE REAL QUESTION REGARDING EVIL IS… where is it? It is not localized in our bodies. Rather, it is in our hearts.
In this regard, I really like what the Lord Jesus said in the following verse in John chapter 9 in the Message:
39
Jesus then said, “I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind.”
The true, historical, living Lord Jesus was sinless, and was able to die for our sins in our place because of that.
The true, historical, living Lord Jesus offered Himself in our place so all of us—spirit, soul, and body—could be fully redeemed as we allow Him to remove from us the impurity and uncleanness of sin and its effects.
I Thessalonians 5 (NKJV)
23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24
He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Vance

======= John:

New Moon Festival
We first hear about the New Moon Festival in the book of Shemot (Exodus) 40:1-2: “And the L-rd spake unto Moshe, saying, On the first day of the first month thou shalt set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.” In the Hebrew calendar the new moon begins a new month. It was on this particular day that the L-rd wanted Moshe to erect the Tabernacle.
After the Tabernacle was erected, on that very same day, the Glory of G-d filled it. Shemot 40:33-34: “And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moshe finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the L-rd filled the tabernacle.” It was on the new moon that the glory of the L-rd filled the Tabernacle. The New Moon Festival was also a day of sacrifice. Bamidbar (Numbers) 28:11: “And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the L-rd; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;” Not only that, it was also to be a day of the blowing of the shofar. Bamidbar 10:10: “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your G-d: I Am the L-rd your G-d.”
Besides many other Biblical events which occurred on the new moon, it was also the day when Moshe spoke to the children of Israel giving them the L-rd’s commandments.
Re-reading it seems the Festival was only on the First month of the year. Besides the biblical commands, something akin to our New Year’s Day celebration.
Bowing three times
A custom in the ancient world to bow three times to royalty. No mention of why three (3)?. Jonathan was a prince. David at this time – still a servant of the king. Everything after the bowing was as “good friends”
Doeg the Edomite
“doeg” means fearing, anxious.
Who knows? Saul did what he wanted. Perhaps Doeg had some physical traits that Saul desired in his chief herdsmen. (Stature, strength, etc.) Perhaps he had proven his loyalty over time being promoted from a regular shepherd. Remember shepherds were the lowliest form of occupation in Israel, so being the head shepherd was not a place of great distinction. Perhaps doeg had converted to Judaism (doubtful).
In the end he was an extension of Saul’s evil wishes (and perhaps Saul himself)and slays the priests when no other of Saul’s servants will do the deed.
Saul was evil at this point and had no hesitation of hurting people of Israel (priests), Edomites hated Israel and coveted their land. Seems like a match made by “satan”?????
John

========= John:

Greater Miracle than the Last
This man the Lord chose (nowhere does it say the man came to the Lord for healing)
No one had ever been healed of Blindness from birth.
The opening of eyes to the light: to me Jesus first covered the eyes with spittle and earth (the world) and then told man to wash the mixture off in the Pool of Siloam. Water ingested represents the Holy Spirit, Water used in exteranl cleansing represents the Word. By belief and the use of the Word, the filth and blocking of vision by the world will be taken away. You will see the light.
This man stood up for Jesus in front of scrutiny. He was banned from synagouge.
He was not only given physical sight, but spiritual sight.
He chose a man who was blind from birth, just as man is spiritually blind from birth, and he healed him.
John

======= John:

John 9
Pool of Siloam
Scoffers of the Bible used to point to this “pool” named in the Bible, and claim it did not exist. Just another error in the Bible.
OOPS!
In 2004, the pool was discovered in an archaeological dig.
======================================================
John 9:25b
“…One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” NIV
My favorite line in John – it applies exactly as to how I was before Salvation, and how I became after Salvation.
======================================================
Greater Miracle than the Last
This man the Lord chose (nowhere does it say the man came to the Lord for healing)
No one had ever been healed of Blindness from birth.
The opening of eyes to the light: to me Jesus first covered the eyes with spittle and earth (the world) and then told man to wash the mixture off in the Pool of Siloam. Water ingested represents the Holy Spirit, Water used in exteranl cleansing represents the Word. By belief and the use of the Word, the filth and blocking of vision by the world will be taken away. You will see the light.
This man stood up for Jesus in front of scrutiny. He was banned from synagouge.
He was not only given physical sight, but spiritual sight.
He chose a man who was blind from birth, just as man is spiritually blind from birth, and he healed him.
John

======= John:

Telling lies
1Sam20:29
“He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.” NIV
There was a discussion last year on the blog about whether it is ever right to lie.
Study note from faithtacoma church:
Here is another case of a godly man telling a manifest untruth in a context in which it is not clear at all that the Bible condemns him for doing so (cf. the Hebrew midwives; Rahab; etc.). There are circumstances in which telling an untruth does not amount to “bearing false witness against one’s neighbor.” Interestingly, in the biblical examples, the untruth is told virtually always on behalf of someone else, not oneself. Here David. So, by and large, count on it. The lies you feel tempted to tell will very rarely be justified by such examples as these.
More on telling lies
David fabricates a story and tells it to Ahimelech the priest at Nob.
More from faithtacoma:
Fact is, we don’t get anywhere in this material the sense that the narrator necessarily disproves of these deceits. The ethics of war are not the same as the ethics of peace. No one disproves of an army concealing its intentions, even attempting to convince its enemy that its intentions are otherwise than they are (Joshua sending the spies ahead of his army into Canaan; the allies regarding the invasion landing sites in Normandy). What we have here, of course, is the early stages of the war between the house of Saul and the house of David.
John

======= John:

Regarding Jesus’ Deity
John 9:37-38
“Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”
AND HE WORSHIPPED HIM.
Another verse to show those who do not believe in the Deity of Christ. In the Scripture only God is to be worshipped. If something or someone ever contradicts scripture – Jesus, in the past, has always corrected the situation.
Jesus does not object to the worship – so even though not verbally declaring His deity – the lack of objection by Jesus confirms His Deity.
John

======= Jill:

God allows pain and struggles in this world which is a result of Adam and Eves sin.
But he draws us close to him through our afflictions!
And we can let others know where our hope comes From!
Having been diagnosed with a medical condition has made me look at life differently. I need to be intentional about every day! It’s not easy but I give God glory anyway!
Thanks Mike for this blog!
Jill

1 Samuel 18:5-19:24 + John 8:31-59 + Psalm 112:1-10 + Proverbs 15:12-14
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – This is a powerful verse in First Samuel 18:14 today: “David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him.” I think that is so important to know – David succeeded in all he did because God was with him.  And I believe this applies to us today as well.  We will succeed in all we do if God is with us.  Now – don’t get me wrong – when I say succeed, I do not mean “succeed” as the world might define this word.  I mean we will succeed spiritually in all we do if we are in a loving and growing and obedient relationship with God the Father through Jesus the Son (who is God).  This success might mean that we actually become “poor” in the world’s eyes and serve overseas or in our own town in a ministry that won’t make us a million.  But – if we are living in right relationship with God than we have truly succeeded in life.  Nothing else matters.  Below’s an image of a young David succeeding in saving a lamb from the jaws of a lion and offering up praise to God for the success!

It is great to see Jonathan asking his father Saul to not murder David in First Samuel chapter 19.  I read a commentary that said Jonathan had really been won over by David after David killed Goliath.  It is thought that perhaps David shared with Saul and Jonathan his faith in God and why he was fearless of Goliath early in chapter 18 or late in chapter 17 (in yesterday’s readings), and that Jonathan believed David’s faith was true.  In any case, we do see in chapter 18 verses 3 & 4 these words: “And Jonathan made a special vow to be David’s friend, and he sealed the pact by giving him his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt.”  Jonathan is obviously living up to this pact here in chapter 19. (the images above and below are really from yesterday’s readings, but I thought they were both quite good pictures of David – and Jonathan below. Oh, and Goliath too… 🙂

An image by Gustave Dore is below for First Samuel 18 verses 10 & 11: “The very next day, in fact, a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave like a madman. David began to play the harp, as he did whenever this happened. But Saul, who had a spear in his hand, suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David jumped aside and escaped.”

Bible.org’s commentary on our First Samuel readings today titled “David Joins Saul’s Family” is at this link and commentary titled “David’s Divine Deliverance” is at this link.

New Testament – John chapter 8 verses 34 through 36 are such powerful teachings for each of us to recognize – “Jesus replied, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.”  Do you believe it is possible to be a slave of sin?  Do you believe Jesus can set us free from the slavery of sin?  Are you free?

I believe verse 58 is one of the most powerful statements Jesus makes in the Gospels – “Jesus answered, “The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born!””  Or the NIV of this verse is –  “”I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”  Jesus is quoting Exodus 3:14 here when Moses asks God who he should say sent him to free the Israelites from Egypt and God says – “I AM.  Tell them I AM sent you.”  Jesus here knows what he is doing when he says that even before Abraham was born, I AM.  Jesus is saying he is God.  And He is.  But, to the religious leaders at this time, this was blasphemy to their ears.  And hence, they attempted to stone Jesus in the very next verse.  Do you believe Jesus when he says, “before Abraham was born, I AM”?

Bible.org’s commentary on our John chapter 8 readings today titled “Like Father, Like Son” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 112 is a great look at a godly person’s life.   Today in verse 1 we read: “Blessed is the person who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” Is fear of the Lord healthy? Why or why not? Is fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? Are you blessed if you fear the Lord? Do you find great delight in God’s commands? What are God’s commands?

Verse 4 stands out – “When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.” This is encouraging.  When darkness overtakes us, if we stay true to God and Christ and faith, light will come “bursting in”!  I like that…  Know that the light is coming…  Below is a fresco from 1517 by Raphael of God separating the light from the darkness –

And verse 9 is a great reminder – “They give generously to those in need.”  Are you doing something in your life to serve the poorest of the poor?   There are 1.2 billion people living in our world today on less than $1 per day.  Is there something you can do to give generously to those in need?  Below is an oil on canvas painting from 1611 by Bartolomeo Schedoni titled “The Charity” –

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verse 14 is so powerful – “A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash.” I will humbly submit that since YOU are going through the One Year Bible, you are a wise person who is hungry for truth!  🙂  Well, really, I mean it.  The Bible is the best place to find Truth.  And trash?  Well, interestingly I was having a conversation with 3 friends recently – 2 of whom participated in this One Year Bible with us last year – and we were discussing how each of us don’t watch TV.  We didn’t quite use the word “trash” when discussing TV, but I think the term can fit… 

Worship Video: Today’s Psalm & Proverb reminded me of Casting Crowns’ song “American Dream:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DumlIIHSrsQ

Are you chasing the American Dream? Click here and surrender to Jesus!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” John 8:34 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you are not a slave to sin. Pray that Jesus has set you free from slavery to sin, and that you are free indeed! Pray for your friends and family that are enslaved to sin that they will be freed through faith in Jesus and repentance of their sins.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Can you imagine living your life feeding only on TV?  Yikes…   So, really, when you look at how you invest your time are you hungry and feeding on truth or perhaps are you feeding on some trash?  Will you throw that trash away?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Ramona:

1 Samuel 18:5-19:24
We have already been given the clues and keys to success when we read the Book of Joshua [This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (1:8)] So it should not be a surprise to anyone when the young man David, who will come to be know as the Sweet Psalmist of Israel, is a success everywhere he goes.

Sin has crouched at the door of Saul’s heart and Saul has let him in just like Cain before him (Genesis 4:7). If Saul had done what was right, even with sin hanging around outside, God would have accepted him. Knowing that God had taken the Kingdome away from him (1 Sam 13:14), Saul makes no effort to “clean” up the condition of his heart, but spends time and energy trying to “take-out” a person of more noble character than he. This futile exercise is done daily all around us and some of it is committed by Christians. We slander and assassinate the character of others so we will look good, or so we think.

As we pursue what we falsely perceive as the enemy we sink deeper into a life of madness just like Saul. Declaring that the “other” is really our problem when the true culprit is that man or woman in the mirror.

I am intrigued by Saul’s run in with the Spirit of God that causes him to prophesy, even take off his clothes while he is doing what may appear on the outside to be some religious acts. I’m intrigued because Saul has no relationship with God, yet God’s Spirit comes upon him to keep him from killing David. This same thing happened to the troops he had sent previously to take David out. So a “religious” experience may not be a sign of a changed heart, in reality we are told to look for spiritual fruit not religious fervor, because it may just be a means of stopping a killer from pursuing his or her intended victim. This is a possibility I must give further thought too.
John 8:31-59

Verse thirty-two, 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” is quoted and misquoted by believers and non-believers alike. The truth that sets one free, according to Jesus, is the truth that comes when one obeys Jesus’ teachings. Since Jesus is Truth, our freedom can only come in conjunction with our relationship with Him.

Jesus’ exchange with the religious leaders in this passage proves the above point. Although confronted with the truth about themselves, they failed to hear it because their alliance was not with Jesus but with their father the Devil, the father of all lies.

It is in this eighth chapter that Jesus begins to frequently use the words, truth, truly and true however those He speaks to cannot handle the truth.

In the Book of Job there is a passage that quotes Job as saying, “Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?” Job 12:11). This says to me we know truth when we hear it, but sadly we reject it because it does not fit our agendas. Yet, the sin we so love to chase after, binds us with cords entangling us so that we drown in our own sin. The sin we so love doesn’t love us back; in truth it mocks and then kills us.

Psalm 112:1-10

9 They give generously to those in need.
Their good deeds will never be forgotten.
They will have influence and honor.

10 The wicked will be infuriated when they see this.
They will grind their teeth in anger;
they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.

These two verses seem to describe Saul. No matter what he tried to do to get David killed, he was “thwarted.”

The continuity of God’s message to us seamlessly threads its way through time and writers from different backgrounds and education never losing the gravity of its Words or significance. Wow, Only God can do that.

Proverbs 15:12-14

If a wise person is hungry for truth, and Jesus is
Truth then the wise person can only be satisfied by Jesus.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Anka:

Jonathan is a good example of one who put the kingdom of God before any earthly kingdom.He should have been next in line to Saul yet he knew David would be the next king.He saw David as a brother in faith and loved him,nothing else mattered…he supported David to his own hurt.
A messianic Jew once told me that the word “I am”is not used at all in hebrew out of respect for God.For example if one had to say “I am going somewhere”they’d say “I going somewhere”just so they wouldn’t pronounce the same words God used to introduce himself.Jesus must have really made some jews mad when he didn’t hesitate to use I am…here he makes it so clear that he really meant “I AM”.Even today few people acknowledge Jesus as deity.I pray we who know can always be a light that beckons to those who don’t know Jesus as “I AM”.

Household gods….I just couldn’t help noticing the issue of household gods.When Michal was Saul’s house maybe Saul wasn’t a godly enough man(nor a good father)to make sure there was no other god except God in his home…Wonder if David ever knew there was a household god..or if he cared what his wife was doing.It does say Michal was in love with David,never says David returned her affection…Anyway,it seems Israel would sing praises to God for victory in battles but still kept their household gods…and to them that was ok.I pray God reveals our own security blankets(household gods)to us and gives us faith to look only to Him.

God bless you all
Anka

====== Sue:

======= Jim:

Don’t be surprised when insecure people are fearful and jealous of your successes, if not downright hostile. David’s successes brought popular approval when many must have already begun to lose confidence in the erratic rule of Saul. Twice Saul hurls scepters at David in fits of anger after hearing the songs of praise for David, and then he gives David a dangerous military command and further asks for a hundred tokens of dead Philistines (with David bringing twice that many) that only makes things worse. Saul finally starts to openly try to kill David even though Jonathan affects a brief reconciliation until David’s next victory in battle and God has to twice intervene. In David’s times of troubles, it was vital to have a real and tested friend in Jonathon. Likewise after three years in ministry and even after his resurrection, Christ speaks to only 500 during his sermon from the mount – during which He tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit. Then only a few weeks later at Pentecost, only 120 remained. In friendship it is better to go for quality rather than quantity.
Note: do not think that a dowry suggested that women were sold as property. The dowry was part of an elaborate pre-nuptial agreement where the husband generally agreed to continue support in the case of divorce (besides the woman keeping the dowry). Thus, the exchange of gifts showed that both the parents and groom valued the woman and that marriage was not to be taken lightly. Saul’s daughter loved David (and lied to help him escape), but her sinful father violated her trust and never considered her feelings in giving her to David. Years later, David will demand the return of his wife, but only for political reasons (2 Sam 3:13-16) and so will likewise violate her trust. She will show her bitterness at such repeated unfair treatment when she sees David praising God ecstatically (2 Sam 6), demonstrating that she had likewise failed to seek comfort in God. Let me repeat that if you ever read a biblical story and consider anyone other than God to be the hero, you should immediately reread the story.
The true test of Christian character is if you continue to obey Christ’s commandments (see John 14:21 and 2 John 1:6). A new Christian just converted by a single sermon should not have too much confidence in their feelings. Do not repress your love and joy for the Lord, but your faith has not been tried yet. I find the two biggest hurdles for Christians are at 2 months (where 50% are lost – for a total of 10 million Americans who have made a commitment to Christ but were without a relationship with any church within 2 months) and at two years when we our early overly high expectations in fellow Christians meets head on with reality (in much the same way a child must face deficiencies in parents). But, the service of God (not Christians) will free you from the slavery of evil passions, corrupt propensities, degrading vices, and groveling views.
“We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man!” This is a most obvious lie – the descendants of Abraham, or their fathers, had been slaves in Egypt. In addition, their nation had been enslaved in Babylon, repeatedly been subject to the Assyrians, was enslaved by Herod the Great, and was at that very moment under the grievous bondage of the Romans. The condition of a sinner, however, being captive to sin, is to avoid and oppose the truth, be subject to irrational passions, and have little regard for what is said. Jesus was right when he said in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil; he is a liar, and the father of it.
Jesus emphasizes earlier that He did not mean political bondage but slavery to evil desires and rebellion, but every slave knows that a disobedient slave is quickly sold or discarded. A harsh reminder that they could lose the special privileges and status of being the people of God – that they could be cast off like an unfaithful slave without accepting the Gospel (and a warning for every Christian: Hebrews 6:4-8 – “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame”). Pretending as if not to understand Him, they boasted again that Abraham was their father and made into an offense his suggestion they were the offspring of anyone else.
They sought to kill the Messiah because there was no room for Him, being so filled with pride, prejudice, and false notions. He tells them such was not an act of Abraham and repeats the charge that their deeds are of their father (at this time had still not yet named Satan, preferring that they should infer whom He meant). They still profess to not understand Him and suggest that He was calling them of mixed blood and thusly outside the covenant (“we are not born of fornication”). And He tells them again, “If God was your father, you would love me hear God’s words.” Sinners cannot tolerate (as back in v 6:60) true biblical doctrines and form an obstinate purpose that it shall not be applied to them. The Samaritans were deemed as schismatic (and they had long debated which worshiped God correctly) and so why they call Christ one and then they say He had a devil since He called them of Satan (sort of like, “we know you are, but what are we”).
If we have examined ourselves and are left in good conscience, we should not consider it dishonorable to be under reproach, believing that God will in due time avenge us and bring forth “our righteousness as the light and our judgment as the noonday” (Psalm 37:6). Where ever the disciples went, people spoke against them. Christ says, however, “If I honor myself, my honor is nothing.” They had enough, though, when He claimed that He had come before Abraham and picked up stones to kill Him, but he was able to quickly hide himself (was he miraculously invisible and just so common looking that He could get lost in the multitude?). Today’s Psalm provides a vivid contrast of a good man in verse 5 in strong black and white terms against the wicked described in Psalm 109. The desire of the righteous will prevail while the desire of the wicked will perish. The horn is a symbol of power that speaks of prominence and a lasting sense of worth. This is again one of the nine acrostic (where each subsequent line begins with successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet) verses: 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145.
Jim

======= Vance:

I like the verses that Mike quoted from yesterday’s reading:
I Samuel 18 (NKJV)
3
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4
And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
COVENANT is a very powerful thing. If we give up God and lose the idea of the sacrifice of Jesus for us, we will lose the idea of covenant. If there is no God, there is no absolute truth—simply one person’s opinion and the power to enforce that opinion.
God is a God of covenant, and He always keeps His covenant.
Note how Jonathan made covenant with David: When he gave David his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt. In effect, Jonathan was saying, “I will always honor you and—if necessary—I will give my life to protect yours.” David also made a reciprocal covenant with Jonathan.
Similarly, if there is no covenant, there is nothing binding a person to keep his or her word. Again, if there is no God, there is no binding agreements—only fickle human emotions.
John 8 (NKJV)
31
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Again, Jesus’ Word is His covenant. Jesus’ very life, death, and resurrection were part of a living covenant with God and man. When Jesus died on the Cross, He died as our substitute—in our place—taking our punishment for sins in our place.
However, there is something more to this: When Jesus died on the Cross, He died as our REPRESENTATIVE. Thus, when Jesus died to sin—WE DIED TO SIN. When Jesus rose from the dead—WE ROSE VICTORIOUS OVER SIN. When Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father—JESUS TOOK US WITH HIM, and IN CHRIST WE ALSO ASCENDED NEXT TO THE FATHER.
May I—may we—truly abide in the Living Word—the Lord Jesus—by abiding in the Written Word in order that the Spirit of God may manifest through us the Life of the Word of God in and through us.
This is where meditation comes in. Meditation on the word—continually thinking, praying, pondering, speaking, believing, receiving—is very important.
Psalm 111 (NKJV)
1
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3
He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Psalm 86 (NKJV)
11
Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
Vance

======= Ramona:

1 Samuel 18:5-19:24
The relationship Saul had with David can be seen in thousands and thousands of homes, workplaces, and sadly families and churches. Insecure people trying to “puff” themselves up in mainly their own eyes; insecure people who are afraid that the façade they have placed around themselves is showing, which it either will eventually and will give them away. There is always a love/hate relationship at the core, but that love is based on the desire to benefit themselves as the expense of others, which is a lust.
Either thinking that God is ineffective and senile or either God is bypassing them because of their shortcomings, they need the people they despise to make them look good, but hate them because they fear they will be shown up by success that is not theirs to call their own. .
I think that tormenting spirit from God is because of the absence of a godly spirit within Saul. If a space is empty, in this case Saul’s heart, then what is “no good” will fill it. There is a law in Physics that states, two things cannot occupy the same space, it has to be one or the other. For me reading this brings back that Proverb I have mentioned that has spoken so powerfully to me and continues to speak.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. (Proverbs 25:28 KJVR)
Self-discipline is a fruit of the Sprit and without that Spirit, any and all controls are external not internal. Once the external controls fall or fail, which they will, then anything can come in and everything is going out.
But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. (Galatians 5:22-23 AMP)
The question is begged again, What is in control me? Is it the Holy Spirit or is it some external rules and regulations, is it peer pressure to behave? The Ten Commandments are great but if they are only external restraints’ and not written upon my heart, my controls will be lost.
Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= John:

John 8:31-59
Random notes:
In Chapter 6 Jesus in the “Bread of Life discourse showed himself to be greater than Moses. Now here in Chapter 8 Jesus shows himself greater than Abraham.
vs 31-32 (Young’s Literal Translation) “Jesus, therefore, said unto the Jews who believed in him, `If ye may remain in my word, truly my disciples ye are, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”
There are disciples and there are “true” disciples. Seems these Jews believed, but they had not yet received Christ into their lives. If you stay in his word (logos), you are in Him and He is in you – that is the mark of a true disciple – ‘believing AND receiving’. When you do both you will know the truth (Jesus) and you will be free from the bondage of sin and the sting of death.
THE SAD THING: There are a lot of people who believe in Christ, but have never received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They acnowledge Jesus is who He says He is in the Bible. They believe in what he says regarding salvation. But in the end they do not know Jesus (Matt 7:23), and that lack of the extra step – trusting Jesus to abide in you and run your life – well, it is an eternal mistake.
======================================================
vs 33. Two views
1)Never been slaves of anyone? Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, not to mention slaves of sin. The disagreement is getting heated and words are being thrown out without thought of their veracity.
2)Jews knew exactly what Jesus was talking about and as far as religion went they felt they had never not practiced Judaism. Although it is conveniant to forget that as a nation they often practiced idolatry along with worshipping the True God.
v. 44 Here personal pronouns are used, a time frame is given, a personal attribute (liar) is applied to the devil (Gk. Diablos) – seems apparent to me the Devil is a real entity.
Vs.56 Whether Abraham actually saw the day, or saw it in a dream, or metaphorically saw it when through his faith he was justified – I don’t believe is as important as ‘Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing this day’. These physical descendants of Abraham did not rejoice when it was actually happening before their eyes.
v. 58 Once again even if one does not want to admit what the declaration of “I AM” means (see Anka’s comment) just LOOK at the reaction it causes amongst the people.
John

====== John:

Sauls’ Insecurity
I now wonder about Saul’s supposed humility and hiding behind the baggage before his anointing as king. Perhaps this was not humility as much as Saul did not really want or think he should be king. He was so insecure and had no relationship with God – he probably thought he was in over his head.
======================================================
God’s spirit came upon Saul at different times to accomplish tasks – but he never had or has a relationship with God. We never see him throw himself down and trust in, depend on, rely on God. God, on the other hand, will use Saul as a vehicle in His Divine Plan, but God will not force a relationship with Saul.
Nor will God force a relationship with us today – we must come to Him. God will not force us to love and adore Him – that is not love (when it is co-erced).
======================================================
Fits of anger, lying, using others (even third parties – Philistines) to try and rid himself of David, jealousy over David’s relationship and favor with God —–
All point to his insecurity. Saul is not secure because he is not whole. Saul is not whole because he never believed in and trusted in the Lord. When you are in that condition you have no roots, no backbone, no ultimate moral authority to conduct your life – and it is easy pickings for Satan to lead you down the path of anger, jealousy, lying, doubt, etc.
John

====== Edward:

This is my second go with OYB, and I really enjoy it. Today you talk about Truth and Trash. Very appropriate in today’s political climate where politicians lie like a rug. You mention that you do not watch TV, and that may be good so as to not waste time; however, one still needs to be aware of what is going on around us. While some of the media is totally TRASH, a couple do make an attempt to have some semblance of TRUTH and to provide some semblance of clarity to issues that affect all of us daily. Knowing that helps me direct my prayer to a specific target vs throw prayer at the wall to see what sticks. Don’t waste time on the daytime talk shows. Those are all babbling heads talking over each other. Cheers.
Edward