May 29, 2012 Reading Notes
Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible
2 Samuel 14:1-15:22
In what happens in the next chapters, you see, little by little, what effect David's own sins and his lengthy refusal to confess his crimes had upon his ability to discern and make good judgments.
1 Samuel 14
David was very conflicted morally and emotionally. Absalom should have died for what he did, but David should have died also. David had been promised that one of his sons would be on the throne, but rather than trust God to be true to His Word, David, after losing the hope he had for Amnon, now put his hope in big, tall, handsome Absalom. David wanted to forgive his son and bring him back, but his sense of justice and anger (guilt too, knowing he had brought this on his family) held him back.
Vs. 1-3 Joab was a deceitful and crafty man, and was by no means to be confused with a godly man. It was probably the force of David's devotion to God that influenced Joab for good. Now, with David confused, Joab went into action. This woman was probably the equivalent of an actress.
Vs. 4-20 Apparently David was a sucker for a good story. Nathan had moved David to repentance with a story. Notice that in none of this did David seek God. It doesn’t say he sought God beforehand, and it doesn't say he sought God afterward. David was on auto-pilot. This was about to turn into a horrendous disaster. David had the prophet Nathan and he had the priests and the U&T, but in his guilt and confusion, he just sat there.
As disciples we know we have to live daily in God’s Word. Sin is so strong in us that it is only kept in check by the Word and the Spirit. We need our meds everyday and we should always be alert to our reactions. Living by the flesh or gut or good intentions is all the same thing. We have the Word and the Spirit. We should use them.
Vs. 21-24 This shows how emotionally/judgmentally hamstrung David was. What sense did this make?
Vs. 25-27 Absalom was a dude's dude, and the kind of guy you'd want as king. He was also a mess emotionally. In mourning for what happened to his sister Tamar, he named a daughter Tamar. Though it mentions here that he had three sons, later we'll find out that he had no one to carry on his name. Did they die? I don't know.
Vs. 28-33 This was completely dysfunctional and David was party to it. Talk about awful parenting and horrible communication skills. Emotionally, there was something wrong with David. Old Jerusalem was not that big a city not to know what was going on and not to talk with someone.
1 Samuel 15
Vs. 1-6 So now that Absalom was completely bitter and had no regard for his father, he plotted to steal the hearts of Israel away from David (whose credibility was probably low). Obviously, there was much more planning going on here to put together this coup. Remember that Absalom plotted for two years to kill his brother Amnon. He knew how to patiently hatch a plan.
This went on for four years. Don't you think someone would have noticed how weird this looked? I suspect that David noticed and didn't stop him, thinking it might prepare Absalom to be king, that maybe God was in it. Since Absalom was providing counsel to the people, it might be that because of what David had done, that David had become something of a recluse.
Vs. 7-12 Hebron would be important, because that is where David was crowned king.
V. 12 This is the last chance to figure out on your own who Ahithophel was. Tomorrow I'll tell you. Regardless of what you read about how bad and traitorous Ahithophel was, when you find out who he was, you will totally understand and want to cry and kick David.
Vs. 13-22 Since the people were won over to Absalom, David would be trapped in Jerusalem. His only chance was to run into the wilderness and fight.
V. 16 David shouldn't have left those 10 wives/concubines in Jerusalem, but how could he have known?
V. 19 The men who had been with David when he ran from Saul were still loyal to him. The leader of these guys showed that despite his age and the discomfort, he would remain with David. I'm sure David's "mighty men" were with him. What is significant when you think of loyalty, is that David had men who were still extremely loyal to him, but he might not have been that loyal to them. You'll see that tomorrow.
John 18:1-24
Vs. 1-11 John doesn't mention that Jesus prayed in the garden after He and the disciples had crossed over to the Mount of Olives. John makes up for this by giving us a lot of other insider information.
V. 4 Jesus confronted the mob primarily to save the disciples. In verse 6 you can see that there was tension in the crowd. They must have expected Jesus to turn them into frogs or something.
V. 8-11 This shows Jesus trying to let His disciples escape. Peter tried to intervene, but Jesus told him to cool it.
Vs. 12-14 John is the only one who tells us that Jesus went to Annas first and then was sent to Caiaphas. Annas was the unofficial high priest while his son-in-law Caiaphas was the official high priest. Apparently Annas and Caiaphas lived close together in some priestly compound. What John shows us here is that Annas interviewed Jesus first, during which Peter denied Jesus the first time. Then, after Caiaphas was dressed and had the Sanhedrin up and running, illegally, Jesus was sent, maybe across the courtyard to Caiaphas.
Vs. 15-24 That unknown disciple, again, was John, the writer of this gospel. Apparently John had some family connections to the high priest (that's why he knew the name of the servant that Peter "Van Goghed") and was able to get Peter into the courtyard.
Vs. 19-24 Apparently Annas was also concerned about the disciples. If this was some sort of secret society, Jesus told him that everything He taught had been taught publicly. It was a rebuke to the insistent unbelief of these men for Jesus not to answer the question, but to refer them back to what they already knew. This is the only time we see Jesus speaking to defend Himself. Oddly enough, almost the exact same thing happens to Paul years later.
Psalm 119:97-112
Keep looking at the words that are used for the Word, the alternating cries for help and then the refuge taken in the Word of God.
Vs. 97-104 David's love for God's law was because it gave him wisdom and he could see that. He didn't need to be taught in theology. All he needed was the Word flowing through him, and it gave him an insight that neither his enemies nor his teachers had.
V. 103 I thank the Lord for every moment like this.
Vs. 105-112 Notice that when David talks about the Word being a lamp unto his feet, he mentions his afflictions in verses 107 and 109-110. When Jesus tells us in the Lord's Prayer to pray every day, He mentions to pray regarding temptation and the influence of the enemy. The Word is to lead us and especially lead us through adversity. It does this by filling us with trust in God and the strength to abide in Him. If we just go to the Word for a one-verse cure, we might be disappointed. It is the Spirit and the Word in us constantly filling and keeping us that gives us what we need.
I feel a song coming on. The video is also interesting because the song is sung by a disciple who made it famous, got lost, and is, apparently, back on track.
Proverbs 16:8-9
Amen and Amen!
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/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. Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
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