July 19, Reading Notes

1 Chronicles 28-29

We haven't read what is in these two chapters. It is recorded only here and must have been a part of other records and documents. My tendency is to read what David said to Solomon and begin to lament because I know what Solomon will do. But the point Ezra is making here is to direct the words of David to Israel and Solomon to the hearts of that generation returning to Israel after the exile. Few of these people remember the former days of Israel. Many or most of them have been born in Babylon and know "Israel" only because of what has been handed down to them. In these chapters Ezra is directing this final charge of David to the hearts of these men and women and to this generation.

As you read these chapters, try to imagine you are one of these returnees. Because of David's heart and love for God, it's easy to be inspired by what he says here.

1 Chr. 28

After David hastily had Solomon crowned king in 1 Kings 1, there was another ceremony recorded here. 1 Chr. 29:22 confirms this. This chapter must take place between 1 King 1 and 2. David had been frightfully awakened out of whatever he had been ailing under and called upon his last strength to set in motion all that he had been preparing over the past several years.

V. 8 It appears to me that Solomon failed here. By his own actions, he left the nation and its next generation damaged.

Vs.11-19 Notice that David gave Solomon written plans and that these plans came from the Lord. Reading 1 Kings, you would just think this all came from Solomon. It makes Solomon even more suspect then when he dedicates the temple and keeps saying, "that I have built." Ezra is showing that David is the one who had the passion for the temple of God among the people.

V. 20 Isn't it interesting how often God tells someone to be strong and courageous?

1 Chr. 29

What an amazing chapter of the Bible.

Vs. 10-22 These are some of the final words of David and what a testimony they are to his heart and love for God. It is definitely more inspiring to think of these as David's last words than to think that his last words were to Solomon telling him to make sure that Joab and Shimei went to their graves in blood.

Vs. 23-25 David probably reigned together with Solomon, as co-regents. Considering David's health, that probably wasn't a long time.

Vs. 26-30 Ezra doesn't record anything negative about David except for the census, which resulted in the finding of the location for the temple. Since the nation has just returned from exile, they themselves know enough about sin and what effect it has had on them. Since 2 Samuel has the record of David's mistakes, Ezra is showing here that David recovered and became a model of spiritual leadership and a model for how God can take a sinful man (or nation) and restore them to become a blessing for others.

Good thoughts for us too, as disciples who also slip and fall and get up and follow in the harvest.

Romans 5:6-21

In reading a letter like Romans that really has two very pointed arguments, salvation by faith alone in the new life of the Spirit, and God's plan in the church and in Israel, one reading doesn't really do it. Even reading Romans once a year doesn't work well just because you forget so much. If you were studying Romans without a commentary you would read through it several times getting the main arguments and divisions set in your mind. Then you would work through understanding why Paul goes on from one thought to the next and how they fit together. That would be more than you'd get from most commentaries. (If you were doing your own study of Romans, you would only go to a commentary for a particular question or after you had familiarized yourself with the book so well that you could talk your way through it, chapter by chapter.)

For our purposes here, since it is unlikely that you're going to go back and re-read Romans, I'm going to fill in some detail about where I think Paul is going before he gets there. Hopefully it will be helpful.

Vs. 6-11 This really belongs to the reading from yesterday. The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This is the fuller description of that love.

Notice the references to being saved from wrath. This fits nicely with verse eleven. We can only rejoice in God because of what Christ did for us. Many people have these happy "god thoughts." There will be no happy meeting with God without the blood of Christ covering them, having been made a new spiritual creation in Christ. People mistake their warm feelings and imaginations for reality. At the end of life, without Christ, there is only wrath and judgment, not some jovial bearded old man smoking a pipe, welcoming us home.

Vs. 12-21 It seems that Paul is changing topics here.

Vs. 12-14 Sin came into the world, into the human race through Adam. In verse 14 Paul mentions the power sin has to drive us away from God even without a written Law. When we know right and wrong, sin comes alive and works in us: law or no law, whether it's a sin like Adam's or something more creative.

Death is separation. Physical death is the separation of the spirit from the body. Spiritual death is the separation of the spirit from God. Spiritual death results in physical death because the physical is dependent on us being spiritually connected to God. It's like cutting a flower. The second it is cut from the root it dies, but it appears to live for a while. The same is true with us. Because of spiritual separation from God our body is born sick and dying.

Paul is about to talk about the effects of sin vs. the effect of the free gift, but what Paul is working toward is that the body is joined to the sinful spiritual nature. There is no cure for the "body of death" in this life. In salvation, we are given a new spiritual life (new creation, new nature) that dwells in this body along with that old spiritually sick spiritual nature. It is a class "A" miracle. In the resurrection, for those who are saved in Christ, the newly created spiritual life and nature is put in the resurrection body. The old nature dies with the old body since it has been judged in Christ. For those who are not saved by Christ, they too are resurrected with a new body, but one that will be indwelt by that sick, rebellious nature, and will therefore have to live in separation from God. At that point, that union becomes permanent, like the angels, and unable to be changed. Sin is a very big deal, and really, an incurable sickness in this body. God does not, cannot, change the sinful nature. He judges the old and gives us a new nature in Christ. Sin is a spiritual disease and still beyond our comprehension.

Vs. 15-19 Notice how each verse alternates between death and life and condemnation and justification. Verses 15 and 17 are parallel and verses 16 and 18 are parallel. Verse 19 is all inclusive, a summary of sorts.

Vs. 20-21 is the purpose of God explained in the long unfolding plan of redemption. When we get to the closing verses of Romans where Paul mentions the "mystery that was hidden for long ages," this is a part of what He's referring to. Part of the reason the law was given was to increase the reaction of sin to make it more visible and more understandable in its power and effect.

Psalm 15

David had been pursued by men who wanted him dead. Lies had been circulated around the nation regarding David to justify Saul's bitterness and murder and threats. But what made David the man he was is that he really had only one ambition, to be at the feet of God, in His presence, before this mercy seat and throne. It must have hit David as he thought of wanting to be before God, that those who were pursuing him couldn't come before God because of their hearts. David had to live away from the tabernacle of God; yet in exile, he lived at God's feet. Those who pursued David could stand in the tabernacle, but their hearts were far from God. It isn't "doing" that makes you acceptable to God, it is the heart of faith responding to God. Later David will put it simply: A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Proverbs 19:18-19

Read this along with Luke 5:11-24, and you'll see this is not only a mark of the Father, but a mark of a disciple of Jesus in the harvest. For an interesting take on the prodigal son, Jeremy Camp.

http://www.youtube.com/watchv=9qGXOVPw4uU&feature=related

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.