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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
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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