With this
reading you are beginning the 10th book of the Old Testament. Celebrate with a Frappuccino® or
whatever else sounds good. When was the last time you read all of these books?
And for one more landmark to look forward to, tomorrow you begin Psalm 119,
where more than any other place, you see what it means when it says that David
was a man after God's own heart.
2 Samuel 1:1-2:11
2 Samuel 1
Vs. 1-16
Notice that this guy tells David of both Saul and Jonathan. He knew the mention
of Jonathan would catch David's interest.
Since this
account of Saul's death is different than the one found in 1 Samuel 31, it
appears that this is a lie. It would have been ironic that the guy who finally
killed Saul was an Amalekite since Saul had disobeyed God regarding the
Amalekites. The fact that he came to David in Ziklag with Saul's crown
indicates that he expected this to be good news to David and expected to be
rewarded. What would make him even more of a hero, he thought, was that he had
ended Saul's life.
Vs. 11-12
are a summary of the effect of this news on David and his men, but actually vs.
13-16 were carried out right away.
Can you
imagine? This guy was probably expecting some reward from David. Saul's own
armor bearer wouldn't lift his hand against Saul, but this guy said he did.
David didn't think too highly of that.
Vs. 17-27
I don't doubt that David actually loved Saul, but he certainly loved Jonathan.
I think in all of this there is also some grieving for the entire tragedy of
the past 10 years. Notice the repetition of how
the mighty have fallen.
Vs. 20 and
21 are a curse of sorts. David will finally defeat the Philistines.
Vs. 25-26
This is David’s tribute to Jonathan. It was a true bond as brothers and
something David was blessed with, but something that few men will ever
experience.
2 Samuel
2:1-11
Vs. 1-4
I'm impressed that David inquired of the
Lord. The fact that he did this and it was recorded makes you wonder about
times when David did stuff and it wasn't mentioned, like going with the
Philistines to fight against Israel, even if that was a ploy. I think David was
like us in this regard. Normally he didn't ask God, but when he was in a hard
situation, he asked, and then remembered to ask for a while after that until
everything was normal again. However, when he was in control, like us, he
didn't think he needed to ask.
David was
made king in Hebron over the tribe of Judah. Verse 4 should have been cut in
half. The second half of the verse actually belongs to the conflict story.
Vs. 5-11
David blessed the men of Jabesh-gilead. As a point of interest, the rescue of
Jabesh-gilead in 1 Samuel 11:1 was Saul's first battle as king of Israel. The
people there never forgot that. When they learned of the humiliating way the
bodies of Saul and his sons were displayed on the wall at Beth-shan, they
returned the kindness of Saul's rescue of their city. See the Bible
Knowledge Commentary-OT, p. 455.
When David
blessed the men of Jabesh-gilead, he also invited them to accept his
kingship…BUT, v. 8. Abner intervened. It appears that Abner drove the civil war
which ensued, perhaps wanting to be king himself. I say this because it is
interesting that all the dates and times mentioned in vs. 8-11 paint a very
funny picture. Abner must have finally made Ish-bosheth (man of shame?, BKC,
p. 458) the king after five and a half years of civil war. We know the war
lasted seven years and six months and ended at
the assassination of Ish-bosheth. Abner was the real guy in power. This is
another reason why Joab, David's military commander, hated Abner. The big
reason he hated Abner comes tomorrow.
As
disciples following Jesus, there is always the sense of living in tension. I
don't know when life ever gets easy, especially following Jesus in the harvest
and working to reach people and make disciples. There is always a point of
conflict somewhere, a relationship that isn't working out. So what do you do?
In David's
life this was the same. You would have thought that the entire nation would
have been ready to unite around David and get redemptive history cleaned up and
looking respectable. But the sin of Saul had a long reach and was rooted in the
heart of his followers, particularly Abner. Abner had his own ambitions too.
When a
disciple becomes proven in service, it means having gone through many times of
upheaval and disappointment. Especially after being hit by "friendly
fire," drawing ever closer in that pain and suffering to Christ is a must
or you just become bitter. He is the only one who makes sense of all this baloney,
and He alone is the one who keeps our passion alive and healthy, and our vision
clear. This is how you learn to abide in Christ.
Somewhere
in all of this, probably in Hebron during those seven years, David wrote his
own copy of the law. It was also probably during this time that he wrote Psalm
119. We'll begin reading that psalm tomorrow, and it will show why David was
able to survive this continued time of trial.
John 12:20-50
This is
Tuesday. Jesus had just cursed the fig tree on the way to the temple. Upon arriving
He cleansed the temple for the second time and made the leaders deadly mad; but
they couldn't get to Jesus for fear of the crowds, because the people hung on
Jesus’ every word. Sometime in this day, probably earlier than later, the
Greeks show up. It is significant that they came after Jesus cleansed the court
of the Gentiles and taught saying that the temple was to be a house of prayer
for the nations.
Vs. 20-23
Who knows why they came to Phillip. Phillip had a Greek name and Bethsaida was
on the edge of the more Gentile area of Galilee. But really, who knows other
than that God directed them to Philip.
As Jesus
was told of this request and maybe seeing the men at the back of the court
where He was teaching, the Spirit must have nudged Him. Jesus now understood
that the Father had done something, and Jesus officially knew that His hour had
come. These Greeks were "God-fearers" and were close to Judaism, the
same as the centurion whose slave Jesus had healed, and later Cornelius, also
an Italian and a centurion and an important person in the gospel going to the
Gentiles. I would think that the request of these Gentiles was a signal from
the Father, almost like the Gentile world saying, "even if the Jews have
rejected your offer for now, we're ready to receive it."
V. 24 This
parable is very important. Not only is it used by Paul later in 1 Corinthians
15, but also in John 15, Jesus uses it to define glorifying the Father and
proving to be His disciple. You always hear people wondering what kind of fruit
Jesus is talking about in John 15. Here, and therefore in chapter 15, the
meaning of the fruit is obvious: Jesus must give His life so that many more
will experience life. The fruit is
people who will come to faith and obtain eternal life through the giving of His
life.
Vs. 25-26
Notice how Jesus immediately repeats here, what He has said previously in the
context of discipleship to His disciples. Notice that Jesus intensified the
‘losing’ one’s life to ‘hating’ one’s life in this world. To serve Jesus, you
must follow Him. This comes with two promises. First, you have the promise of
His presence; and second, you have the promise of being honored by the Father.
Knowing
Christ means following. Discipleship is not an option, yet, we have made it
that way. This is why the Great Commission says to make disciples, not
"lead them to belief, and then later, try to persuade them to follow if
it's not too much trouble for them." If Jesus is presented as who He is,
God who became man and gave His life for us, that He is God inherently means He
is worthy of worship/service. Following is a natural part of the message of
turning way from sin and turning to Him for forgiveness and life. We make it
hard on ourselves when we think knowing Jesus means salvation, but not necessarily
following. Jesus didn't think that.
Vs. 27-36a
His hour having arrived, the reality of what He would have to endure also hit
Him. Jesus the man, the Son of God, and Son of Man, knew what He was going to
have to suffer. His humiliation and physical beating, vividly shown in the
movie, “Passion of the Christ,” was simply
the path that brought Him to His real work, hanging on a tree, being cursed and
punished by His Father. Only what He endured on the cross, the spiritual
judgment and rejection, made forgiveness possible. Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree (Gal. 3:13). We are
impressed, and rightfully so, with His suffering before He got to the cross;
but it was what happened on the cross that purchased our pardon. Jesus
willingly endured that, to get to the cross for us. Figuratively, we are healed
by His stripes, but it was His death on the cross which bought forgiveness. It
was when the animal was on the altar that it became a sacrificial offering.
What Jesus is visualizing here is the spiritual aspect of what He will have to
endure for mankind.
V. 28
Jesus lived to glorify the Father. The Father said He would do it again too. If
you look at Jesus' life, the arrival of angels and the voice of His Father came
at very crucial times. This was a critical time.
V. 31 Wow! Now was the judgment that would be complete with His crucifixion
and resurrection, but we are still waiting until that judgment is fully
executed.
V. 32 It
is the cross where it all goes down. When Jesus said this, lifted up must have meant "crucifixion" to the people,
therefore, the response of the people in v. 34.
V. 34 To
be fair, the disciples didn't get it either. It wasn't until after the
resurrection that they understood why the Christ had to suffer. The disciples
didn't get it, but they still believed He was the Christ. That's the
difference.
Vs. 35-36a
This was a warning for the people to force themselves to think spiritually
while He was still there to be seen. Jesus was the message. Regardless of what
they had heard, they needed to see Him and believe in Him. Jesus will refer to
this in a few verses.
Vs. 36b-50
is a kind of summary from John, regarding Jesus' public ministry to this point.
Notice that at this point Jesus hid Himself. He needed time to chill.
Vs. 37-43
These verses explain why the people didn't understand. Part of this prophecy is
Isaiah 53, and part is Isaiah 6:10. In both places, the rejection of the
Messiah and rejection of the truth are the result of sin and not being
desperate to understand the truth. This isn't God blinding their eyes as much
as it is not making them desperate to seek Him. This falls in line with Jesus'
use of parables. If people were desperate and tired, they understood. It also
falls in line with what Isaiah said of the Messiah in Isaiah 53, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no
form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire
him.
He wasn't what they were
looking for because they were not desperate for the truth. They wanted what
they wanted. God's work in Israel at the close of this age will be that Israel
will be so desperate and needy in seeking the Lord that they will cry out, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the
Lord. And this Jesus that they are rejecting here will return for them, and
in the Tribulation they will want Him.
V. 41 is
interesting if you link it to v. 42. Isaiah said this about Israel because He
saw God's (Christ's) glory and spoke of Him. It made Isaiah jealous for God. He
saw and he spoke. Now notice that many of the people and the leaders saw Jesus’
glory, but they didn’t speak of Him. I find that interesting.
Vs. 44-50
Sometime toward the close of the day Jesus again appeared in the temple.
Whatever crowd was there heard this amazing declaration. Jesus just never gave
up.
Vs. 44-46
couldn’t be clearer. Jesus was God in the flesh and the light of men. This
sounds like the first verses of John.
V. 47 is a
transition verse. Jesus came to save, not to judge the world; but you can tell
by what He says, there will be judgment. He came to save the world, not a
country or language group or western cultural mindset. He came to save every
person. There is no other way. There is no other Savior.
Vs. 47-50
are an incredible warning. To understate the case, Jesus’ words are not to be
taken lightly. Everyone will be judged by them. And to think, all of this came
into motion, as the hour struck when a couple of Greeks came to see Jesus.
For us in
the harvest, it is an encouragement to us to get the word out. Many will
respond to the Lord and become disciples. Most will reject His Word. Our job in
the harvest is to follow Him, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make
disciples. And as we abide in Christ, we watch Him work and we follow.
Psalm 118:19-29
It's
interesting that in this last part of the psalm, there are two references to
Jesus and one reference to a song. This is the danger of hacking up The Psalms
like this. Now that we can see that some reference is made to Jesus, we can
read back over the first part and see that the suffering it refers to might
also have some connection to His suffering. It must have been strange for the
Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus, because this psalm is quoted by Jesus during
those final conflicts in Jerusalem before His death and resurrection.
Vs. 19-21
The writer (David?) asks the Lord to open the gates to him to enter into His
presence. Because God had saved him, he knew that the Lord had opened up to
him.
Vs. 22-24
Here is that salvation, the rejected stone. Not only was the Father’s working
in this marvelous, but it became the day of salvation.
V. 25 This
is the plea of David and Israel and mankind.
Vs. 26-27
The Lord came to the city and to the house. He is the light and He is the sacrifice.
Vs. 28-29
Notice how the declaration, You are my
God, is repeated. He is not only our Savior; He is our God. And at the end
of the day, we give thanks because of His steadfast
love and how it endures forever.
You
probably saw vs. 22 and 23. So where did Jesus say v. 26?
What a
great psalm foreshadowing Jesus.
Proverbs 15:27-28
It is
interesting that v. 27 says that the result of this pursuit of stuff is that
the entire family is troubled. Most people have more gifts from God than they
realize, that can give them a solid, healthy family. Wanting more often kills a
family, even if you don't want to obtain it unjustly.
That sense
of pondering, going to God and really seeking answers, builds a solid
foundation in life.
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 complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
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