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MAY 28
2 Samuel 13
It is hard to tell how much time had passed. David had written Psalm 51
and shown true repentance (sort of). It might be that David hoped that what the
Lord had said would happen, would not happen, or maybe he thought the threat
would come from outside of Israel. I'm sure he didn't see this coming. This is
not only a sad day in the history of redemption, but days like this would keep
on rolling.
Vs. 1-6 Here we are introduced to the old "come and bake bread in
my presence" ploy. With so many wives and children, these people, though
related, didn’t have the same, normal “I’d gag if I kissed my sister”
repulsion. They were almost like strangers to each other in this respect.
Although we don’t see the name “Satan” anywhere in this context, we know from
the New Testament, that he was involved somewhere.
Isn’t it interesting that we hear so little about Satan in all of this
history? I think it is because the real “enemy” is the sickness within us.
Vs. 7-14 Apparently this was an accepted custom in that culture for a
sick person. That's why David fell for this. I can imagine that if you were
rich, the food was prepared by servants somewhere removed from the main living
quarters, possibly in another house. Now, you have to admit, that when the
right stuff is being made, it makes the house smell great. Actually, I think I
have even gained weight just smelling bread being baked. That sense of warmth
and wholeness and smell, and, in general, the wonderfulness of it all was
probably thought to help make a sick person well. Anyway, as silly and as
transparent as this sounds to us, it probably was rational in that culture.
When Amnon sent everyone out of the room, didn’t anyone think it looked
fishy?
V. 13 This marriage would have been forbidden in Israel, meaning they
would have had to leave Israel, and Amnon could not have been king. Under the
guidelines of the law, this kind of incest was forbidden, but it would have
been no different than Abraham and Sarah, who both had a common father but
different mothers. It is just to say that if Amnon had really been honest, he
could have had her by abdicating from the throne and living in Moab or Egypt.
With David’s connections, it would still have been a good life and a realistic
option.
V. 14 This is God’s punishment on David. The sickness released in the
family was ironically bearing fruit. I wonder how much this act mirrored
David's interaction with Bathsheba. I wonder if he used the “come and bake
bread for me” ploy too.
Vs. 15-19 Violating Tamar like this would make her “unmarryable” in the
proper circles. Tamar was not at fault, but it would have been Amnon's
responsibility to do the right thing and marry her.
Vs. 20-22 This will be like the spreading of a cancer. Obviously
Absalom will be responsible for his own actions, but this, humanly speaking,
destroyed him. And this is where David failed as a father, as a leader and as a
follower of God. He failed too because of his own failure. How could David
judge his son for doing what he, himself, had done? And now we also see another
sickness in David that will be very transparent when he has to deal with
Absalom. David was consumed with worry about which son would take the throne
after him.
You might have a note that the Dead Sea Scroll and Septuagint (and
Luther) add, "But he would not punish his son Amnon because he loved him,
since he was his firstborn." David couldn't judge him; and at the same
time, he hoped that Amnon would take the throne when he died. This lack of
justice created an intense hatred and bitterness in Absalom that would engulf
the nation in war. As we’ll see, there was at least one other man who was
deeply affected by this. I’m sure that many, many people lost confidence in
David.
V. 22 You can see that hatred was festering in the heart of Absalom.
Vs. 23-33 Two years went by. That is not only hatred; it is commitment
to have revenge.
V. 26 How did David fall for this? I'm assuming that as the heir
apparent, Amnon represented the king at some events and this is what Absalom
was asking for. He certainly didn't want David there. He must have known that
David would refuse; and so, as a compromise, he pleaded with David to show the
favor of his presence by sending Amnon to represent him.
This is just a speculative point here, but I don't think David was a
good relational communicator. He wrote wonderful songs and psalms, but as a
father and as a verbal minister to his family, he seems to have been a
disaster. We'll see more of that tomorrow and in the days to come.
Vs. 37-39 Three years and no communication, just brooding and sulking
on David's part. And what was going through Absalom's mind? And here we see a
very confused David, so compromised in his own heart and so anxious to have his
own son sit on the throne, that he can no longer judge rightly. And this all
began one evening as he watched a loyal friend’s wife bathe. How tragic.
For us as disciples, I think the lesson to learn here is to be very
serious and intentional to keep our passions fulfilled God’s way. I’ve heard of
people who have fallen into adultery or pornography and disqualified themselves
from ministry, if by no other way than by the distrust and bitterness they have
brought into their close relationships. God is showing us something in David’s
life that is meant to be a warning to us. With everything God is showing us
here, it would be doubly tragic to make the same mistakes. Imagine getting to
heaven and having David walk up to a fallen disciple and say, “What? God
exposed my sin and wrote it on the pages of His Word to help you and you
ignored it?”
John 17
Vs. 1-5 It is instructive that as Jesus begins this prayer for His
disciples, it is all about glory, that is, revealing who the Son is and who the
Father is. As followers of our Lord, living for and giving glory to the Father
should be just as important to us as it was to our Lord.
V. 3 This is a great definition of what eternal life is.
Vs. 4-5 This seems like a very intimate talk between the Son and His
Father.
Vs. 6-8 I guess you could say that it wasn’t Jesus’ job to make them
believe, but to manifest the Father before them. The final word on their
progress was that they had kept the Father’s Word, which was the Word that
Jesus had spoken.
Vs. 9-12 It appears that Jesus was praying for their growth and unity
in Him. Judas was lost and these 11 would be tested. Jesus was glorified in
them in that they had saving faith and were still following Him. Jesus didn’t
just want the Father to protect them, but to give them the oneness with Him
that Jesus had with the Father. I guess that unity is a supernatural enablement
too. I think this oneness grows out of the mission.
Vs. 13-19 Notice that it was the Word that made them hated by the
world, and it was the Word that sanctified them in the truth. Verse 18 is the
pre-resurrection giving of the Great Commission. Jesus is not only announcing
that they will complete what He has begun, but Jesus is saying He will continue
His work with them by consecrating Himself, now and during the church age as He
sits at the right hand of God. (See Mark 16:20.)
Vs. 20-23 Jesus prayed that the Father would grant that all who
believed in Jesus would have spiritual unity.
Vs. 24-26 Jesus also prayed that they/we would be with Him and would
see His glory and would be filled with the love that the Father had for the
Son.
There is a lot of love and unity being spoken of here. And it makes
sense to me that it is not only in Jesus and in His Word, but we need to be
following Him in the harvest to really understand what He is talking about.
Psalm 119:81-96
Vs. 81-88 What stands out to me is the longing in these verses. Do you
notice here, and through this entire psalm, the interchange between David’s
distress and going to the Word?
Vs. 89-96 I think David understood that as the promises were made in
the past, there was also waiting and suffering as those promises moved to
fulfillment. Abraham waited; Joseph waited; Israel waited and Moses waited.
David was now a part of this waiting, but also he had become a part of the
story of God’s faithfulness.
V. 92 I'm sure this was true for David in those long years of running
from Saul. I'll bet it became true for David again as his family was falling
apart.
V. 93 If only that had been true of David. It needs to be true of me.
Proverbs 16:6-7
David was still a man after God's own heart and I'm sure these two
verses came into play as God forgave David and as David refocused his life on
following God. We need the fear of the
Lord, and we need to live to please
the Lord and honor our Father, as we follow in the harvest.
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
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
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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