2 Samuel 12
It seems
from the narrative, that once Bathsheba found out she was pregnant and sent
word to David, it wasn't long after that, that Uriah died. Now, it looks like
the baby has been born. I wonder why God waited so long before He confronted
David. Obviously, David had more than enough time to confess his sin and come
clean. What would have made him resist God for so long? I think we know the
answer and I think this length of time ignoring God had a lasting effect on
David’s heart.
Vs. 1-6 I
wonder how many of the details of the man's affection for the lamb described
the relationship of Uriah and Bathsheba before David destroyed things. If you
read a lot into this, Uriah deeply loved Bathsheba and David had no respect for
Uriah. Have you figured out yet how David knew Uriah?
Vs. 7-14
It stands out to me here, that if David had sought the Lord and waited for Him,
God would have "added" to him and given him more (v. 8). In fact, it
might have been that David would have gotten Bathsheba anyway, but more on that
later.
V. 9
Notice that God sees David as having despised His Word. And keep in mind that
this is the guy who wrote Psalm 119.
Vs. 10-12
All of what God "promises" David will come true and will become a
real tragedy.
Vs. 15-23
In all of this it is good that David went in and worshiped God, but I don’t
sense a lot of spiritual wisdom in this entire situation. Maybe I’m just being too negative.
Vs. 24-25
Now here is an interesting thought. God loved Solomon and He told Nathan, and
so, Solomon had another name that meant that God loved him. Why does God love
this person born out of such a foul history? Since God is sovereign, I would
have to think that God knew that Solomon would be born of David and Bathsheba and that Solomon was a part of His plan. I think that if
David hadn't sinned, God would have brought these two people together
without sin. Probably Uriah would have died in battle or some other way, and
since David knew Uriah, he would have taken Bathsheba legally as a wife. We've
seen something like this before with Rebekah and Jacob stealing the blessing
from Esau. If it is God's will for something to happen, we need to wait and be
patient. Taking "God's will" by our own hand only adds grief and
sorrow to it.
Imagine
what this sin would have done to David's entire "family." Would any
of the other wives have felt good about being with David after he had done
this?
This part
about Solomon is probably a summary of the future birth. We know from 1 Chronicles
3:5 that Bathsheba had four boys and Solomon was the youngest of them. Incidentally,
while Solomon is not in the direct bloodline to Jesus (through Mary), Solomon’s
brother, Nathan, is in the line to Jesus. I think Solomon was excluded because
of his idolatry.
Vs. 26-31
The long fought battle (over a year) finally ended in victory. I can't help but
see this "victory" as a very ironic defeat for David and all of
Israel.
John 16
Vs. 1-4
I've tried to underscore the fact that the context of this Upper Room Discourse
is the immediate and ongoing threat there would be to the disciples as they
followed Jesus now, and then later after Pentecost. This same atmosphere of
threat is true for any of us who are following Christ in the harvest. Many of
the truths in this discourse are great. The problem is that if what Jesus says
here is removed from this context and taught in isolation, the truths can be
misleading. The context for this truth is following Christ on His mission under
pressure.
If you
take a piston from an engine and use it at Christmas to crack nuts, it will
work for that. But imagine if you eventually forgot that it was anything other
than a nutcracker. This is exactly what happens with teaching about the Holy
Spirit. We use Him for all sorts of things, especially for our comfort. We just
forget the context in which He is introduced, the mission, and therefore, the
context in which we will find His power and comfort.
Vs. 5-15
Notice that Jesus is speaking again about His leaving them.
V. 7 Jesus
will send the Spirit into the disciples. Whereas Jesus could only be in one
place at one time, the Holy Spirit can indwell an infinite number of disciples.
Notice what this Helper will do in v. 8. How does that help us? It only helps
us if we are in the harvest.
Vs. 8-11
The idea of convicting the world concerning sin is focused on the person of
Jesus. When Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, it was a declaration of
His righteousness as a man to declare judgment on all mankind. Now Jesus is the
King of mankind and the “fake” ruler has been dethroned. All of this “reality”
has taken place and now just waits for the completion. Now would be the time to
confess Christ as Savior.
Vs. 12-15
Jesus was their constant teacher and taught them before and after events,
before and after conflicts. Now He was leaving them. The Spirit of truth would
now take His place, doing what Jesus had done.
Vs. 16-24
Somehow, I don't think the disciples understood the impact it would have on
them when He died. He is bracing them to experience intense disappointment,
fear and sorrow; and He's promising them that the joy they experience afterward
will wipe that all away. Notice the references to joy and the encouragement for
them to pray. Jesus is helping them to protect them, and I don't think they had
a clue.
Vs. 25-28
It is interesting that Jesus is already telling them He will teach them after
the resurrection. Jesus will say more about the Father and His love for them in
chapter 17, but here it is said to assure them so that they will survive the
dark night that will come upon them.
Vs. 29-33
Here, it is like the disciples say, "Oh, so that's what you're saying.
Null Problemo." And then Jesus says, "Oh yeah. You've got it down?
You guys are about to be scattered in fear."
V. 33
Although we haven’t seen the word “abide” since the last chapter, notice the
condition of the promise here. Jesus said, in
me you may have peace. This is contrasted with the next words, In the world…. Abiding in Jesus is where
we find that peace, but abiding is a choice. If our lives are oriented around
and defined by the world, we are in trouble. If everything about us is defined
by Jesus, we stand in His Spirit with His view of the reality around us, with
His purpose in our heart. Notice that the context for this peace is peace in
persecution for being a follower of Christ in the harvest. Jesus is saying this
to strengthen them. But, will they remember He said this as He is hanging on
the cross?
There is a
spiritual understanding of Jesus and life in Him behind all of what Jesus is
saying here. It might seem hard even for us to understand what He is saying,
but Paul promised Timothy that if he kept thinking over what Paul told him, God
would give him understanding. The same is true for us now in the harvest. I
think God teases us with these sayings to see if we will invest the time to
understand Him. We have the Spirit, but it takes time, reading and re-reading
and praying and asking and seeking and knocking. Those last three things are
things Jesus encouraged or commanded the disciples always to do. Those who ask,
receive. Those who seek, find. Those who knock, have the door swing open to
them.
Psalm 119:65-80
I noticed
again today the references to being afflicted
and how affliction worked to drive David to the Word. Seeing what is happening
with David in 2 Samuel, I understand that it is better to be afflicted and in the Word, than to have
everything going well and feel you can survive without His Word.
Vs. 65-72
David seems to be saying that everything God did to him bore out the truth of
the Word. This is like Paul saying to prove what is the will of God, what is
good and acceptable and perfect. It is worth being afflicted to see the truth of the Word. We discover that God is
always true and that waiting on Him is always right. David says it was more
valuable to him than gold or silver.
Vs. 73-80
Just as God formed David in the womb, God was forming David through his afflictions
as David clung to God’s Word. Verse 79 says that David’s life became a
testimony to others. God says the same thing in Isaiah 55, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the
peoples. That came through afflictions and being forged in the Word.
Afflictions do not help us. God helps us through His Word. If God is present,
afflictions are just a means to show us how to abide in Him.
Proverbs 16:4-5
In the OT
stories, we have seen how the Lord used the evil and failings of men to further
His plan of redemption. We've also seen, and will see, that v. 5 is true, even
among God's own children.
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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