Fence Rail: May 2018

Thursday, May 31, 2018

June 1, 2018 Reading Notes

If you don't have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This site allows you to select from several languages and several English translations.

JUNE 1

2 Samuel 18:1-19:10

2 Samuel 18

Vs. 1-5 David was impossible to beat in the open field, and with God against Absalom, Absalom was toast. He just didn't know it yet.

V. 3 Notice that they didn't let David go out to fight since he alone was the target. Absalom wasn't so smart.

V. 5 Perhaps because of his sense of guilt (that all of this was a part of what he had done to Uriah) or because of some misplaced hope that Absalom would be his successor, or both, David gave this order to spare Absalom. Everyone heard it and this would become a test of hearts in the coming verses.

Vs. 6-18 Imagine, they lost 20,000 men in a single day. We, thankfully, cannot even conceive of that. And to think, this all goes back to David and an afternoon of sexual restlessness. (Again, I think there was a longer process leading up to that event.)

V. 9 Remember Absalom's pride in his hair. Pride cometh before getting hung in an oak tree.

V. 12 This guy was right, I wouldn't have trusted Joab either. It is interesting that his own men knew this about Joab.

V. 14 Disobeying a command of the king, and murdering Absalom like this, should have cost Joab his life. Joab could get away with "practical measures" like this because David had no power over him. If David had dealt with Joab earlier, God would have raised up someone to take his place. In fact, as we'll see later, Joab's replacement was already there. What a mistake to have kept Joab on the team.

V. 18 Earlier it was said that Absalom had sons, but apparently they had died. This would make the monument a bit more understandable since it had to do with the pain he suffered when the boys died. The fact that Absalom built this just before going into battle suggests that he knew he might die.

Vs. 19-33 I have never really understood why this "race" happened, other than that I think insincerity and being political was commonplace in David's court. This situation, like others we have seen and will see, reflects David's lost sense of justice and fairness. You've noticed that Ahimaaz lied.

So, what was this tragic weeping about? David had other sons; in fact, Solomon was going to be king. God had told David that as the result of his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba, his sin and the sword would not depart from his house. I have to believe that David knew he was responsible for all of this.

2 Samuel 19:1-10

Vs. 1-8 Joab wasn't a spiritual genius, but he was thinking straighter than David. If David hadn't gone among the people, things would have ended worse than they were still going to get. As it is, the drama still isn't over. A civil war will meet David when the dust settles. God's judgment of David was like a French meal, and we haven't gotten to the final course yet.

Vs. 9-10 The key word for tomorrow is in v. 9. They were arguing.

As a disciple, is this instilling in you a healthy sense of respect for the danger of sin? God is not mocked, even by those He loves. David was a "superhero" of the faith and is honored by God even now, but his sin sure damaged his life on earth and hurt a lot of people in the process. This battle was linked to David’s sin and in it 20,000 men died.

John 20

Vs. 1-10 So we have another foot race here. Isn't it cute that John never refers to himself other than the other disciple? So John beats Peter to the tomb, but Peter goes in head first. John believed when he saw the empty tomb, but Peter, with his sense of failure and betrayal, was left wondering. FYI, before the guys meet Jesus on the road to Emmaus, Jesus will already have had a personal meeting with Peter (Luke 24:34). Jesus made sure that Peter didn't sink into his own failure.

V. 10 They all went home. There was no glue because they didn't yet understand His death, His resurrection, or His mission.

Vs. 11-18 There are a couple of interesting things here. Apparently Mary Magdalene just couldn't leave. She was stuck. No number of angel appearances was going to convince her to leave without Jesus. This is kind of like seeking. And she found. But this is the first place that Jesus appears incognito and it won't be the last. It is interesting to think of why He did this.

V. 17 In the KJV it says, Touch me not. My first thought was, "What, wasn't He 'set' yet?" Mary seems very emotional and probably had His legs in some ninja hold. Jesus had stuff to do and He had a mission for her.

Vs. 19-23 In Luke's version of this meeting, they thought Jesus was a ghost (again) and He ate with them. Where it says here that they received the Holy Spirit, this was a temporary provision to get them to Pentecost. Just as Jesus had talked to them to encourage them before the crucifixion, now that they had made it this far, He was giving them a supernatural allowance of the Spirit to strengthen them. Also, in v. 23, He let them know the mission and authority that would go with His resurrection. When we see Peter in the first chapter of Acts, we’ll be able to tell that the Spirit was giving Peter some direction and maturity.

Vs. 24-29 These were smart Jewish boys and not given to jumping onto bandwagons. So enter Thomas. I can see them telling Thomas about the meeting they had with Jesus. I can see them, with their new understanding, trying to convince him. I can also see Thomas noticing that their heads looked larger, but saying, "No way, Joses." Eight days later Jesus showed up again, looking intently at Thomas. I'll bet Thomas had seen that look before and thought, "Oh, oh." And, we got a great verse out of it.

Vs. 30-31 This is the point of this Gospel. You also appreciate the fact that John and all the Gospel writers could have included a lot more material.

Psalm 119:153-176

Vs. 153-160 It strikes me as I read David crying out to God, that these were purer days for David. Adversity sent him to the Word and to the Lord.

Vs. 161-168 As you can see, this letter of the Hebrew alphabet actually does double duty depending on where the dot is. It is either an "s" or an "sh."

I love the expression of v. 161; high-ranking people persecuted David, but he focused on God's words. That reminds me of what Paul said in Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Vs. 169-176 Look at the themes in this last section - crying out, pleading for deliverance, vowing to praise God and testify of Him, and asking God to save and to seek him. But in all of this turmoil, at this point in his life, David was firmly set on the Word of God.

So, wrapping up Psalm 119, what do you think the point is? Did you realize that there was so much crying out for help in this psalm? Apparently, that crying out is to be seen as normal. Apparently, hiding in God's love and His Word is also to be seen as normal. Not to be in the place where we're crying out or hiding in His Word and love, means we might be in the wrong place or not really following Christ in the harvest. In the harvest we experience pruning. What is the response of a disciple during this pruning? Well, I guess that's what this psalm is all about.

Proverbs 16:14-15

Again, since we're not "kings," just think of this as a spiritual person. In v. 14 the king is the powerful guy and the wise man is the wise guy, but in v. 15 the king can be a spiritual and godly man.

Please Read the Following Disclaimer

I'm writing the Reading Notes to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, 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 (BKC). I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge Commentary would be a good idea.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the ESV Bible.

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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background, theological training and my personal study.

I'm doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Being in the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the essential essence of being and making disciples.

May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan

The daily installments of the Reading Notes can be found at http://fencerail.blogspot.com/

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.

If you would like a full presentation of discipleship read Simply Disciples*^{Making Disciples}.

Or if you are struggling with insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.

Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

The One Year Bible © by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189

All charts/graphics/outlines from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C. Cook.

May 31, 2018 Reading Notes

MAY 31

2 Samuel 17

Vs. 1-4 Ahithophel had a good plan and he would have taken David.

Vs. 5-14 This tells you why God allowed Hushai to win the day both to save David and to bring Absalom to ruin. It seems to me that Ahithophel was not a deeply vocal and persuasive man. He seems like more of a good, wise and gentle man. Hushai and Ahithophel knew that the "big" battle plan played into God’s hands and would be the ruin of Absalom.

Vs. 15-22 This is really a funny section of people running around. Actually, after Hushai’s plan was adopted, David was perfectly safe on whichever side of the Jordan he had slept. But actually, there were friends waiting for David on the other side. Maybe the Lord made sure he moved to find this help.

V. 23 How sad. Ahithophel knew God had thwarted him and that David would win. It's interesting that he went home and put all of his affairs in order. I don't think he killed himself for fear of David. Had he been an evil man, he probably would have been happy to have spit in David's face before he died. I think he committed suicide out of personal bitterness, knowing that God would spare David. I wonder if Ahithophel and the Lord had a good long conversation after this. I hope so.

It's interesting here that Eliam lost his father, Bathsheba lost her grandfather and Solomon lost his great-grandfather. And remember, up until all this took place, Ahithophel was a revered man in the palace. Sad.

Vs. 24-26 If you remember this name, Mahanaim, it is where Ish-bosheth set up his headquarters in fighting against David in the civil war. Apparently, it was a fortress. Notice that Amasa was put over the army of Absalom. He is Joab's cousin and a nephew-in-law to David. This will be interesting in a few chapters.

Vs. 27-29 Apparently this is the reason why God made sure David went over the Jordan so quickly. Notice that beds, food, bathtubs, microwaves, bratwurst, chips, cheese whiz, etc., were brought from surrounding nations including, ironically, the city that Joab had had under siege when the events took place that led to all this baloney.

John 19:23-42

Vs. 23-24 It is interesting that John mentions this fulfillment of Scripture.

Vs. 25-27 John is the only one who mentions that Jesus' mother was at the cross. The other Gospels mention the other three women standing at a distance. What happened here is that at some point Mary neared the cross. She was escorted by her sister, Salome and by Salome's son John (the son of Zebedee, who was also the disciple whom Jesus loved), by her sister-in-law, Mary the wife of Clopas (Clopas is thought to be Joseph's [remember Joseph, Mary's husband] brother), and by Mary Magdalene. So, when Jesus saw His mother and His cousin John, who is also the apostle John, Jesus gave John the care of His mother.

Vs. 28-30 It is interesting that with all the other things Jesus said on the cross, it seems that it was after taking care of His mother that Jesus knew all was now finished. Now with all the loose ends tied, the sacrifice for mankind completed and the Father's justice satisfied, Jesus said, It is finished, and He died.

Vs. 31-37 This Friday would have fallen on the normal day to kill the lamb, and that Sabbath evening would have been the time to eat the Passover. So it was doubly holy, being both the Passover and the Sabbath. John was apparently standing there, with the other women watching all of this. He saw the water and the blood. Since Jesus was already dead, there was no need to break his legs. Notice again that John cites two examples of the Scripture being fulfilled even after Jesus was dead and still hanging on the cross. The Father was still working.

Vs. 38-42 Joe and Nick came out of hiding. Because they had to do this quickly, they used Joe's own tomb, which was close at hand, and Nick brought the necessary things, 75 pounds worth of spices and the necessary sheets, to prepare the body quickly before the Sabbath. The three women helped. Afterward, Sunday morning, they would come back and do a more thorough job. To be continued!

Psalm 119:129-152

Vs. 129-136 This is what good preaching and teaching does; it unfolds the Word. It shows people how to understand the Word for themselves and every time they go back to that passage, they can develop the thoughts and find that light again. Notice again the oppression and adversity that is still in the shadows, driving him to the Lord.

Notice v. 135. I understand that desire more and more.

Vs. 137-144 If only David would have kept on feeling small and despised. When I read v. 143, I think I appreciate more why God allows this. It is the only thing that keeps us on our knees before Him in His Word.

Vs. 145-152 Look at all the crying out in these verses. I'll bet at some point David longed for those old days, when life wasn't complicated by the demands of ruling and by the sin of his actions. Even though there was affliction, there was this vital and pulsing freshness.

So, what could he have done? If my theory is right and David wrote this during the same time he was writing his copy of the law, I would say he should have kept reading that copy daily as Moses said. David, like everyone of us, was spiritually "bi-polar," meaning he needed to acknowledge his condition daily and take his meds every day, without exception. David got busy, comfortable, and lazy, just like we do. Paul, out of God's love and mercy, was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to keep him humble and needy. The secret revealed through Paul is this, For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10). If you are a disciple, serious about bearing fruit in the harvest and staying close to Christ, you need the Word daily and you need to pursue Him and work under a certain amount of affliction. You don't have to "lash yourself;" because, if you are in the harvest, the Father will prune you and that will make you both effective and needy.

Proverbs 16:12-13

Since we really don't identify with kings, I find it helpful to substitute the title, "spiritual person." The king of Israel was supposed to lead the nation before God, modeling what it meant to be under God's control. That didn't happen often in Israel. Also, and we're seeing this now, kings often followed God when they were young and afflicted, but once they became strong, rich, secure, proud, etc., these men of faith did silly, unspiritual stuff. We can, and should, learn from their stories. This proverb, probably written by Solomon, is still true and spoken by God; even if Solomon, like his father before him, denied, by his life, the very words he was writing.

Please Read the Following Disclaimer

May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan

The daily installments of the Reading Notes can be found at http://fencerail.blogspot.com/

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.

If you would like a full presentation of discipleship read Simply Disciples*^{Making Disciples}.

Or if you are struggling with insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.

Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

The One Year Bible © by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189

All charts/graphics/outlines from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C. Cook.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

May 30, 2018 Reading Notes

MAY 30

2 Samuel 15:23-16:23

2 Samuel 15:23-37

Vs. 23-29 It had been a moment of great personal joy when David brought the ark into the city. Now, it must have broken his heart to see these well meaning priests taking it out of the city with him. David's heart is rightly humbled. David knew he had brought this situation on himself and was willing to submit himself to God's will and judgment. He sent the ark back into the city, hoping that the Lord would bring him back.

What comes from this is that both priests had sons who could bring him information.

Vs. 30-37 Jesus would one day weep on the Mount of Olives, but for a very different reason. He would be entering Jerusalem to die for sin. These people, with David, were leaving Jerusalem because of sin. I wonder why they were weeping. I wonder if anyone was thinking in the back of their mind that this was the result of what David did to Bathsheba and Uriah.

David’s heart falls when he learns that Ahithophel was in league with Absalom. At that moment, it seems God sent David the answer to his prayer. Hushai would become the secret weapon against Ahithophel. Isn't it interesting that up until now, we've never heard the name of Ahithophel. Now we're afraid of him. If this guy was such a great counselor and such a wise guy, why did he turn against David and side with a foolish man like Absalom? What would cause a wise man like Ahithophel to oppose David and God and do something so irrational? Did you figure it out?

2 Samuel 16

Vs. 1-4 So here is Ziba, bearing gifts. I know he wasn't Greek, but the old adage applied to him too. Maybe this was just "old world" kindness. Maybe he knew the story of how Abigail’s gift had touched David's heart. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, but no one sees this yet as we will understand it in chapter 19.

Look at v. 3. All I want to say here is this, both in the law and in dealing with elders in the NT, God says, Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. I know I’m jading you, slanting your thinking a certain way, but I have not read one commentary that catches what is happening here. This is where reading year after year allows the Spirit to give you insight deeper than studying a passage for only a few hours will give you.

So here you have the word of Ziba, that the crippled son of David's best friend, a godly friend, has said, "Good, now I'll become king." Especially knowing that all Israel was following after that handsome, fully functional, "dude's dude," Absalom. Really? A cripple was going to put himself forward as king?

V. 4 To me this ranks as a very sad verse in the Bible. David just broke the law of God by accepting the testimony of one man against another. And look what he did. He gave Ziba everything, and he never even asked Mephibosheth if this was true. I mean, seriously. Obviously, I know what's coming in chapter 19, but suffice it to say that David's judgment was damaged by his sin and his guilt. There is one other little point to observe. According to “old world” custom and cleverness, if you accepted the gift of a man, you were indebted to him.

Vs. 5-14 This guy was wrong and ranted at David for all the wrong reasons. Now, if he had said something about killing Uriah and taking Bathsheba, that would have been true and instructive, especially because, as you will see, God’s judgment on David for his actions against Uriah and Bathsheba is being fulfilled here. Back to Shimei. God will judge him for this, but God used him to provide some "mood music" for David's march to the Jordan. David's words give us the idea that he understood that God was motivating Shimei. Interestingly enough, as David dies, he will give Solomon two assignments: one is to kill Joab and the other is to kill this guy, but of course, to do it legally. Sounds like a mafia movie.

Vs. 15-23 So now we look at the other side of this civil war. Hushai is in place to try to save David, but Absalom looks to Ahithophel for counsel. Ahithophel's first word to Absalom is that he should rape David's ten concubines (servant wives). Verses 20-23 are a summary that he actually did this, probably the next day. Presently however, the meeting isn't over.

Now, who was Ahithophel?

When we first heard about Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11:3, we learned “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” This should have made David stop immediately. Why?

If you do a search on the name "Eliam," you'll find it coming up later in 2 Samuel 23. The name is found in the list of David's mighty men. David's mighty men were a select group of outstanding warriors and fighters, who were deeply loyal to David, probably having joined David when he was still serving Saul. David would have been very close to these men. These men were with him through all the ten years of running from Saul. Now as king, some of them would have been David's personal bodyguards. They would have been the men who ate daily with David at his table (as we see Mephibosheth doing). He would have known them and been close to these guys and their families. In putting together a government back then, you went to your family and your friends and their families. You chose men whom you knew and could trust. The world was small, and so you surrounded yourself with your trusted, proven friends and their families.

So, in 2 Samuel 23:34 you’ll see that Eliam, one of David's mighty men, was the son of Ahithophel. So if Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam, she would be the granddaughter of Ahithophel. She was Ahithophel's granddaughter! Look at the end of the list of David's mighty men. The last hero listed is Uriah the Hittite. Uriah was in this select group and known by David. Both Eliam and Uriah were members of an elite group of soldiers, friends and loyalists of David, known as David’s “mighty men.” Ahithophel was David's most trusted counselor. These men sat at the table with David.

Did David really not know who Bathsheba was? He knew she was the granddaughter of his most trusted counselor, the daughter of one of his closest and most loyal men, and the wife of one of his closest and most loyal men. He also knew they were away from Jerusalem fighting a battle. David wasn't stupid, but what he did was.

What would cause a wise man like Ahithophel to join Absalom to oppose David and God and do something so foolish? Ahithophel saw how David had sexually forced his granddaughter, killed his "grandson-in-law," destroyed his family and violated the trust and loyalty Eliam and Uriah had shown him when he was running from Saul. How sad. Then notice that Ahithophel tells Absalom to rape his father’s concubines. I don’t think Ahithophel was an evil man. He just wanted justice in kind. David had raped his granddaughter, now David’s son raped his wives. Poetic justice, just as God had promised to judge David. And since David had killed Ahithophel's grandson-in-law, now Ahithophel hoped to kill David.

When David says in Psalm 51:4, Against You, You only, have I sinned…, I have to respectfully disagree. David should have had long talks with Ahithophel and Eliam and their families and apologized until his voice was hoarse and he couldn't cry another tear. I don't think David did this. Look at how David communicated with his own sons. David wrote songs, but he was a basket case when it came to discussion for restoration.

Ahithophel became a bitter man and will rightfully pay for his bitterness. His new great grandson, Solomon, will become king; but where hearts are bitter, where there is no justice, and where there is no repentance and honest communication, there is seldom forgiveness or peace. David should have begged for their forgiveness. When that didn't come, Ahithophel needed to have left Jerusalem and his service for the king and gone to God and found solace in Him alone. I don't think he did that.

So, Ahithophel's first word of counsel to Absalom is to go and do publicly to 10 of David's wives, what David had done secretly to Bathsheba. Remember too, that this "just" punishment is exactly what God promised as judgment for what David had done in secret (2 Sam. 12:11-12). And as if that weren’t enough, Absalom did this on the rooftop where David had been watching Bathsheba.

David is still a great man of God, but this should be a caution for us to take God’s Word seriously. This is a divine testimony to the corrupting power of sin in the soul of a godly man and in the group that was around him. As disciples, not only do we need to be in the Word daily, but we need to live in the fear of the Lord. As a man sows, so shall he reap. And there is no partiality with God.

John 18:25-19:22

John 18:25-40

Vs. 25-27 It is interesting that all four Gospels record that Peter, who was a leader in the church when these accounts were written, had failed Jesus. Isn’t it ironic that a relative of the guy whom Peter “van Goghed” was present? God's record of redemption includes a lot of failed men saved by grace. That men like Peter and Paul ended well should be an encouragement to us all. It’s odd that we are reading this about Peter, as we are dealing with the fallout of David’s hormonal rampage.

Vs. 28-32 Pilate wanted to set Jesus free. He really didn't like the Jewish leaders. In the process of Pilate’s journey he will say some immortal words. Almost everything Pilate says is noteworthy.

V. 28 During this time in Israel's history, the Passover meal could be celebrated on two days. Some say it was because of some technicality in the calendar. It might have been because of the large number of people and the large number of lambs that needed to be sacrificed. It might also have been because of the scarcity of rooms in which to celebrate. Jesus and the disciples celebrated on the early day. The Pharisees celebrated on the later day.

Vs. 33-40 Pilate was working to try to let Jesus go. It seems from Pilate's attitude that he didn't take this very seriously, yet.

V. 38 This famous quote comes from an arrogant ruler speaking to a Jewish peasant. Pilate was an embattled, bitter, unpopular ruler. The Jewish lobby in Rome had made his life miserable. What is truth? is both the expression of Pilate’s bitterness and his mocking of this unfortunate, uneducated Jew. Everything Jesus says to Pilate here will come back on Pilate as the eerie events of this morning unfold. Apparently Pilate hadn’t drunk enough coffee yet and gotten his other brain cell going.

John 19

Vs. 1-5 This beating was actually for show and was meant to make Jesus look broken and humiliated. It was not the pre-crucifixion beating. Pilate still wanted to release Jesus and make the Jews feel sorry for Him. Jesus would have been maimed for life by this. Behold the man is another one of Pilate’s memorable quotes.

Vs. 6-11 Pilate is not very arrogant now. This event is shaping up to be very "spooky" for him. According to the other Gospels, his wife has even told him to distance himself from this. While he wasn't a believer in Jesus, he was a believer in divine forces.

V. 11 Notice that Pilate isn't laughing at Jesus any more.

Vs. 12-16 Caesar's friend was a political designation of being in good standing. The Caesar in Rome was mentally imbalanced and Pilate already had several strikes against him. When the Jews threw this statement at Pilate, he knew he had lost. This event would go straight back to Rome. Pilate still could have let Jesus go.

The irony here is bitter. “Behold your King!” “We have no king but Caesar.” What infamous statements.

V. 16 At this point, Pilate hands Jesus over to his soldiers for the normal pre-crucifixion beating. The effect of both of these beatings, humanly, explains why Jesus couldn't carry His cross and why He died so quickly.

Vs. 19-22 God uses even the evil of men for His purpose. Pilate put the sign above Jesus out of his hate for the Jewish leaders. He wanted to be ironic and irritating. Yet, what was written, regardless of his motive, was exactly true and a statement of judgment.

V. 22 When I was in seminary with a full load and a family and a job, having way too many papers to write, this was my key verse and biblical justification for never writing a second draft of a paper. The first draft had to do the trick.

Psalm 119:113-128

These verses, written by David and the Holy Spirit, are absolutely true, and absolutely sobering. I hope they are as sobering for you as they are for me, knowing that when David was close to God because of adversity and in the Word daily, this is what his heart looked like. This should be a lesson for us all. David’s success and busyness as an executive ruined him, because it took him from the Word and from needing the Lord every day.

Vs. 113-120 If this were written during the time of the civil war with the house of Saul, you could understand David’s frustration with the double-minded. This was like Saul and others who swore to the Lord and promised something and then reneged. God’s Word and God’s promise were sure and steady. David learned to put his hope in God and His Word rather than in the word of men.

Vs. 121-128 David’s oppressors were still on his mind. I identify with vs. 123-125. In all of the troubles the Lord leads us through, we all come to the same place. We learn to find hope and comfort in His Word, which is actually the sure and certain expression of His heart and character. I can falsely imagine a lot of stuff about God because of my fear or emotions, but His Word is the expression of the reality that is true about Him.

Proverbs 16:10-11

Before David fell, his judgments, it is said, were like the words of an angel, meaning He had keen insight. These verses would have been true of him at that point. Sin, guilt, and the consequences of murder changed all that in David. As disciples, we would be wise to learn from what the Lord is showing us from David's life.

Please Read the Following Disclaimer

May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan

The daily installments of the Reading Notes can be found at http://fencerail.blogspot.com/

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.

If you would like a full presentation of discipleship read Simply Disciples*^{Making Disciples}.

Or if you are struggling with insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.

All charts/graphics/outlines from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C. Cook.

Fence Rail

Thursday, May 31, 2018

June 1, 2018 Reading Notes

May 31, 2018 Reading Notes

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

May 30, 2018 Reading Notes

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