2
Samuel 23:24-24:25
2 Samuel
23:24-39
The
designation, THE THIRTY, must either
have been a special name with a special meaning at that time, and/or the group
always added others to replace a fallen comrade to keep it at thirty. Verse 39
seems to indicate that in their history, THE
THIRTY only had 37 members, seven of them apparently falling in battle or
leaving the group.
V. 24
Notice that Asahel, Joab’s brother, was one of this group who died. That would
tell us that the group was formed before David was made king in Hebron, because
Asahel died very early in that civil war.
V. 34 It
doesn't always bear fruit to make a connection and hunt down a name, but
understanding who Eliam the son of Ahithophel was adds deeper understanding of
what David did when he sinned against Uriah and Bathsheba; and then, why God
judged David so strongly and why others, like Ahithophel, did what they did. I
can only encourage you to take the time, as the Spirit brings things to your
attention, to search and study and make connections.
I wonder
if Eliam stayed with David, in THE
THIRTY, or if he hung up his sword and moved to Giloh where he buried his
father.
V. 39 This
is the second guy I recognize in the list that fell in battle. Actually, it was
a murder that became tragic for many families and for the entire nation.
2 Samuel
24
V. 1 So,
where does the again come from? My
only suggestion is that it comes from the final verse of the last chapter,
where, because of David's action with Uriah, God brought judgment on Israel.
Now, this
is where reading through the Bible every year leads you to make some
interesting connections if you notice them. This same story is found in 1
Chronicles 21:1 and the wording there adds a much different twist to this
event.
Back when
the spies went into the land, it says in Numbers that God sent them in; and in
Deuteronomy, Moses says that the people demanded from Moses that spies go into
the land and Moses approved it. Putting those accounts together gives you some
insight into how God will use the desires of people, sinful as they are, and
allow them to follow those desires to work some purpose in His plan. In this
case here, God not only furthers His purpose in judging Israel, but He allows
David to express a sinful arrogance instigated by the enemy. And in all of it,
God brings glory to Himself by humbling David and then by putting a very
important "X" on the map.
V. 2 There
was nothing wrong with a census per se, but this was pride on David's part
wanting to know his military might in contrast to the nations around him. His
victories were never dependent on numbers.
Dan to Beersheba was a
phrase that meant all of Israel, from top to bottom.
Vs. 3-9
You know that this request had to be pretty bad, if Joab, that spiritual
genius, knew it was bad. The fact David didn't see it means that God didn't
help David overcome his own fleshly desires.
V. 9 shows
you the true intent of the numbering. David wanted to see his military
strength. Instead he should have been working, as any disciple knows, to be
making more and better disciples. Israel's strength was in the closeness of its
people to the Lord. This was simply, as the French would say,
"Baloney."
Vs. 10-14
David was moved to repentance, but God would still judge the entire nation,
just as in the situation with Uriah.
After
reading all of The Psalms that we have read, it made sense that David would put
himself in the Lord's hands. David knew of God's steadfast love and mercy.
Vs. 15-17
God cleaned up Israel. I'm sure not all of these were "innocent
lambs;" but again, for anyone close to the Lord, "dying" means
graduation, early retirement, joy and some R&R from this land of the
walking wounded. It is actually great, unless you are not ready to meet Him.
In David
seeing this angel, a lot of things happened. Not only did he see God's judgment,
but he saw Israel's true military might. The other part of the story has to do
with where the angel of the Lord stopped.
Vs. 18-25
If you read 1 Chronicles 21 you’ll understand why Araunah was so willing to
sell this place. The place the angel stopped, where David built his altar and
made peace with God, would become the temple. It was the place where Abraham
had been ready to offer Isaac and it was the place where the Messiah would
present Himself to the nation as their king. This spot is where Solomon would
build the temple. In fact, it would have been built there even if David hadn't
sinned. God brings good out of bad, but "bad" isn't necessary to His
plan. As disciples, I feel safer looking at Paul as a model. He was very busy,
very fruitful, very needy, and he finished well in the harvest following Christ
and making disciples, who made disciples.
Acts 3
Vs. 1-10
What’s interesting to me is that Peter and John are in the forefront and that
what is being shown here is not strategy in growing the church, but being led
by and responding to the opportunities the Spirit gives them. We are seeing
what it meant to abide in Christ. Our tendency is often to look for strategies,
rather than simply following and observing what opportunities the Spirit is
placing in our paths.
Note that
this man had been a regular at the
Beautiful Gate; and Jesus had seen him year after year, but had not healed
him. To me it is interesting that Jesus never felt any compulsion or nudging to
heal this man. And apparently, this man had never reached out to Jesus. It was
all in the Father’s plan. Now, Peter and John are confronted by this man and
both of them understood spiritually that they were being told to do something.
They were doing what Jesus had done. As Jesus had abided in the Father, they
were now abiding in Christ.
V. 8
Remember how Jesus had always tried to calm people down, telling them not to
make Him known? That was no longer necessary and this guy was manifesting
“leaping joy” and the praise of Jesus.
Vs. 9-10
This was big, public news. Also, the fact that this man had been there year
after year will make this event hard for the Jewish leaders to deal with.
Vs. 11-26
The simplest definition of being a witness is saying what happened, in this case,
how this guy was made well.
Vs. 13-16
Peter was very direct and the application is in v. 16. Jesus was all of these
things, and was raised from the dead and, being alive, He was still working.
V. 17
Peter wasn't afraid to get to the point, gently. Paul also pleaded ignorance in
1 Timothy 1:13.
Vs. 18-26
This is a great message. Notice in the rest of this short sermon, that sin,
judgment, the resurrection and the offer of forgiveness are all mentioned, very
simply and naturally. Although we don't see the result today, tomorrow it will
say there were 5000 who gave their lives to Christ. And it will say the leaders
were really annoyed. Too bad.
For us as
disciples, we see what abiding in Christ looks like. Peter and John didn't know
what was going to happen at the temple. They weren't any smarter than we are,
but they were alert and perceiving what the Spirit was showing them. They
expected the Lord to be with them and working. Peter didn't have time to
rehearse this sermon. The Spirit gave it to him as he saw the situation unfold
and silently prayed, "Lord, help!"
Psalm
123
This would
have been a great song to sing on your way to Jerusalem for worship. Not only
does it have the elements of need, humility and longing, but it points to the
only source of our hope, the Lord.
Vs. 1-2 I
like the sense of persistence and expectancy in this longing for God. We are to
keep looking, and not to give up, until the Lord has mercy on us.
Vs. 3-4
Even in Israel there were people who were irreligious, who mocked. They kept
working on the Sabbath and they didn't lose valuable time by going up to
Jerusalem. But better to be needy and long for God's mercy, than to forget our
need. Jesus told His disciples that if anyone serves Him, the Father will honor
him. We wait for God's mercy and His honoring of our faith, knowing it is
better to suffer and wait, than to go our own way and find comfort.
It is
interesting that in Paul's first letter to Timothy, written after the history
we have recorded in the book of Acts, when churches were falling apart and
Roman persecution was heating up, Paul told Timothy three times that those who
follow Christ must have their hope set on God.
Proverbs
16:21-23
At the end of 1 Timothy 6:11, Paul exhorted
Timothy to be different. But as for you,
O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
steadfastness, gentleness. This is a familiar list, but suddenly steadfastness and gentleness are added. Wisdom that comes from God's righteousness,
the desire to honor God in everything, can be steady and gentle in any and all
circumstances. The wisdom of Christ is ours and we see the world through His
heart. When that wisdom is our light and our heart, it's easier to control our
mouth and bring steadiness and calmness to any situation.
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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