May 15, Reading Notes

1 Samuel 17:1-18:4

1 Sam. 17:1-11

Years have passed.

V. 6 A cubit is about 18 inches, so a foot and a half. This would have made Goliath about 9 and a half feet tall: Almost as high as a basketball rim. The reading of 4 cubits would have made him 6ft tall. It should be remembered that the people back then were short by our standards. Even in Europe when you visit a castle and they show you a bed, your first reaction is that you're in the kid's room and then you find out the king slept in that bed. They didn't have enough junk food back then. The people were mostly in the 4s and 5s of feet. Saul himself, might have been 6ft tall, head and shoulders above the others. Goliath was clearly in another category. Nine and a half feet tall would stand out today and he'd be making millions in the NBA.

1 Sam. 17:12-58

V. 12 Remember that Jesse was the grandson of Boaz and Ruth. David would have been their great grandson.

V. 26 You can already sense the Spirit shaking David up, getting him ready for action.

David asks at least 3 different people to verify what the reward was for killing Goliath.

Vs. 31-37 Now, David had the Spirit with him and God Himself had prepared David for this moment. I would imagine that once you got good at fighting quick aggressive animals like lions and bears, fighting this big guy would be like swatting one of those big dopey flies.

For us as disciples, it is good to think about God's presence in our lives and how he might be preparing us for the future. He is definitely working in us now. I'm sure David had no clue how God was preparing him for this battle and the ones that would follow. All those years of being the youngest, getting the dirty jobs, having to live out in the fields with the sheep, were used to mold David into a fighter and a king.

V. 54 I think this is a summary sentence describing what happened later. First, there was a battle and ongoing fighting. In David taking the head to Jerusalem, it would fire up the celebration and show the people of God's victory. In a way, that was Saul's thinking in keeping Agag alive, but in that case, God had said that no one should be spared.

V. 58 Back to the Battle. After David killed Goliath and as the soldiers were chasing the Philistines, David was brought in to talk to Saul. If years had passed and David had grown and looked different, you can understand Saul not recognizing David. If Saul had been self-absorbed in his dark mood, he wouldn't have remembered much of David or his family anyway.

1 Sam. 18:1-4

One very significant part of this story is the way Jonathan embraced David. It was almost as if Jonathan recognized the Lord working in David and gave David his own claim to the throne. That is certainly how the Lord made it look, and Jonathan was a very spiritually perceptive man.

John 8:21-30

It is fair to say that Jesus was being a little cryptic, but it is also true that the leaders asked none of the right questions. They showed that they wanted to fight Jesus, not understand Him.

V. 24 This is the only unforgiveable sin, to die in your sins without coming to Christ and receiving forgiveness.

V. 28 This was Jesus saying that there would also be an opportunity after His crucifixion for them to know that He was the Son of God and the Messiah. In Acts, it says that many of the Pharisees came to Christ.

V. 29 Humanly speaking, what gave Jesus the toughness to thrive in these situations is that He did what the Father wanted Him to do and that the Father was always with Him.

Psalm 111

The part of this psalm that speaks to me today is the first sentence, "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation."

With all the things that press upon us, it seems like everything sinks its claws in us and takes a piece of us. Here it talks about giving thanks to the Lord with our whole hearts. I guess that means being so overwhelmed by His grace and goodness, that nothing gets a piece of us or steals our peace. Everything is there to give thanks. I'll have to try that.

Proverbs 15:11

A good warning and a comfort.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.” 

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.