1 Samuel 24-25
As we read about David on the run, we get very little sense of the difficulty this presented for David or his followers. Over the 10 years he lived on the run in virtual exile in Israel and then in Ziklag, it had to have taken a toll on all of them, with their emotions and tempers running the gamut. I'm sure he had people "encouraging" him saying, "Don't worry, this will only last a few months. The people know what's going on. Maybe they'll do something. Maybe God will do something." Don't you hate it when people do that. God doesn't always pay on Friday, or this year, for that matter. In the meantime, this "chase" was becoming something of a cultural phenomenon. Everybody, even the Philistines, knew about it.
1 Sam. 24
V. 3 I have never heard a good explanation for the expression "covering your feet," (you should have a note to the literal words used here) so here is my theory. When a guy stands and empties his bladder, depending on the target surface and wind direction, he usually gets his feet wet, but only notices it if he's barefooted or wearing sandals. They wore sandals in those days. Apparently someone came up with the idea of covering their feet and the phrase caught on and became an expression like "going to the john" or "going to the place where even the Kaiser has to go on foot (i.e., without his horse…it's German…oh, forget it)." You get the idea.
V. 4 I can't imagine that David had all 600 men in the cave, but certainly a scouting party.
V. 4-7 You can imagine the pressure on David. All the discomfort and stress of running, and here, with one good slice and the battle is over. I don't know what good influences there might have been on David to develop his heart, but the Spirit was with David and, in this instance, He smote David's heart. Remember too, that David was also anointed. He could have done a lot of rationalizing. But here, the Spirit led him. The respect David shows here to God and Saul, and his willingness to stand against the voice of the people (unlike Saul) is what made him a leader and model to his men. In the German it says that David used hard words to steer his men away from this plan of action.
Vs. 8-22 To me, the most significant thing that comes out of this, is Saul's sad confession that he knew David would become king. Saul knew he was fighting God. In verse 21, as he makes David swear not to kill his family, he all but admits that he knows God will prevail.
Sin, this same kind of sin, is in us. Rationality and education can only go so far and will always give way to the vicious sickness in our souls. Our problem is spiritual, so the cure must be spiritual. We have been given a new spiritual life, but still we need our meds (the Word, Prayer, the Spirit, the Church, the Mission) daily, until we are freed from this body of death.
1 Sam 25
This chapter is given entirely to the story of David and Abigail. So, what is this chapter really about? Is this a romance? If you ask me, and I know I'm hopeless, every year when I read this, I wish David would have just hung with Abigail. I know God is sovereign, so Solomon had to come, which meant Bathsheba would have been David's wife eventually (without David killing Uriah). So then, if this isn't a romance, what is the point of the story?
I think the point of the entire story is in verses 32-34. David would have been completely unjust in doing this. He would have been a murderer. God saved him.
Notice that Abigail says what was obvious, that God was going to make David the king over Israel. In the bitterness of waiting, David lost perspective.
Notice that she tells him twice that he shouldn't help himself by his own hand. It's hard not to fight.
She tells him a couple of times that he should keep from being guilty of evil or the guilt of shedding innocent blood. Remember Israel, no one could convince God to curse them, but they could bring it on themselves through sin. Then both justice and Satan would be storming God's throne to bring wrath and judgment. Later, in the case of Uriah the Hittite, David will become a murderer, God will judge him and he and his entire family (not to mention the nation) will suffer as a result.
Do you ever wonder why God blocks you or why that slow driver pulls out in front of you to make you drive slower? In this way, and in a thousand more ways in all sorts of situations, the Spirit guiding us, often blocks us, protecting us to keep us safe before God, so that we will remain focused and qualified to bear witness to our Lord in the harvest, and to make disciples.
John 10:22-42
"The Feast of Dedication is nowadays called Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights. It commemorates the reconsecration of the temple by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B. C after its desecration in 168 B. C. by Antiochus IV (Epiphanes). The time for the eight-day feast was in December." Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT. p.311.
V. 24 "Jews" means the Pharisees and leaders.
The link between what happened earlier in this chapter and now, is the continued conflict with the leaders, the question of Jesus' identity and the analogy of the sheep.
V. 27 If you break this verse down into parts, you get a good description of saving faith and discipleship. And you get a good devotional for a group.
V. 28 is a good text for eternal security.
V. 30 started a fight.
Vs. 31-33 They understood exactly what Jesus was saying.
Vs. 34-42 In Psalm 82:6 the men God sent to judge and lead Israel were called "gods" or mighty ones. Jesus says here that if those guys were called gods and sons of God, how much more should He be called the Son of God since He was sent from the Father and was doing the Father's works. Duh!
Verse 36 and 37 are crystal clear. The Pharisees were blinded by sin.
Jesus escaped again and went to Bethany beyond the Jordan where John first bore witness to Jesus (John 1:28).
In about four months, the Jewish leaders would get what they wanted.
Psalm 116
What a great psalm. As you read it think of two things.
First, the power of our love for the Lord is always connected to how we understand what he rescued us from. As Jesus said, "but he who is forgiven little, loves little.
Second, in our ongoing journey following Christ, he teaches us to rest in Him, by leading us into situations where we can only depend on Him.
The psalm begins, "I love the Lord," and ends "Praise the Lord."
Proverbs 15:20-21
Apparently verse 21 is dependent on verse 20. Isn't it interesting that the foolish man despises his mother. Assuming this is a godly woman, women tend to make things holistic, seeing many things connected that maybe no one else sees. They might see love for Jesus and eating peas as practically the same thing. Rejecting their wisdom and living a life that despises their values by its contrasting values and actions (you don't have to eat peas), is what God calls being a fool for foolishness' sake.
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.
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