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.
MAY 5
Judges 21
Vs. 1-7 This event just keeps getting worse. What I find interesting in
all of this is that Israel asks God about fighting, but they don't appear to
ask God regarding a solution to the problem with Benjamin and where to get
wives for them. They sought God for something difficult like fighting and then,
when their lives weren't at stake, they said, "We can figure this out on
our own." I've always wondered why there was no direct question to the
Lord and why there was no answer.
It seems to me that things had fallen apart with the worship at the
tabernacle. The ark of the covenant was easier to move, and possibly they moved
the inner sanctuary (Holy of Holies) with it. In 1 Samuel we have the ark being
moved and brought into battle, and afterward, the ark is separated from the
tabernacle for years. It seems then, that Phinehas brought the ark to Bethel,
but the tabernacle and altar and lampstand, etc., remained in Shiloh. So when
they sacrificed at Bethel, they needed to build an altar.
Even in their worship and inquiry, there is something here that is not
right. The Lord doesn't say anything. The verdict, Everyone did what was right in his own eyes, was spreading like a
cancer in almost everything that happened in Israel. Keep in mind that this
event and the event in chapters 17 and 18 happened within the first 60 years
Israel was in the land.
V. 5 The oath they took doesn't seem to have been from the Lord, but
rather, it was what the leaders thought was a good idea. This is reminiscent of
Jephthah and the misguided vow he made. It made some sense that anyone who
didn't send a representative to the battle was in some way saying they agreed
with the men of Gibeah or didn't think cleansing the land was important.
Vs. 8-12 Somehow this doesn't strike me as just or smart or honorable.
It just seemed good to them and they got 400 brides out of the deal. And the
death toll that Benjamin is responsible for kept rising.
Vs. 19-24 The next big idea was to allow 200 men from Benjamin to
kidnap the young women from Shiloh. Brilliant!?!?! I wonder how God would have
weighed in on that idea if they had asked Him.
V. 25 This verse seems to give the commentary on all of this activity.
They did not inquire of the Lord. They followed their own mind and
"god" thoughts and feelings.
As disciples, we don't want to be wooden and rigid in seeking God's
will, but we don't want to just live by good and godly feelings. I think it is
good for us to consider God in every decision we make, just to stay in the
habit. If we can just buy thing after thing, and watch show after show, go
where we want and do what we want, without really laying it before God, I think
we might be kidding ourselves. Maybe we're not really following God and His
Word at all, just our "god" thoughts.
Ephesians 5:15-17 Look carefully then how you walk, not as
unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ruth 1
As Samuel is writing the history contained in Judges and in Ruth, God
is also using him to help the nation accept the upcoming kingship of David. Although
David would not become the king of Israel until after Samuel’s death, Samuel
had already anointed David as king years before he died.
We’ve noticed that Bethlehem appears in these last stories in Judges.
Bethlehem is also the main stage of the story of Ruth. This last story about
Benjamin will also be important as we enter 1 Samuel, since the first king of
Israel, Saul, will be from Benjamin. In the 380 years after the near
destruction of the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe grew. King Saul will be from
this infamous area and in his first battle, the battle that brings him into
prominence as a king, it will be to protect the people living in Jabesh-gilead.
That city would have been near and dear to the tribe of Benjamin since that’s
where many of them have ancestry to that city through their great-great-great
grandmothers. Unfortunately King Saul will become the mortal enemy of David, so
God is showing the nation of Israel the importance of Bethlehem so they will
welcome a couple of very important men who will be born there.
V. 1 This took place during the days of the judges. The Bible
Knowledge Commentary-OT, p. 415, suggests that this might have taken place
during the judgeship of Gideon. Who knows? Since we know that Ruth's son will
be Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of King David, these time references
put this event a couple of generations before Samuel and Samson.
V. 2 Notice with this story, and in the last two stories in Judges,
there is another mention of Bethlehem. This area of Israel was taking on
dominance, and this story in particular points to God's selection of David as
king. So then, even in all of this history, God's plan of redemption is
working. A tribe, Judah, has been given a privileged standing and now the
region around Bethlehem and Jerusalem is becoming, not just the geographical
center of Israel, but the redemptive center as well.
Vs. 1-14 I don't know that Elimelech did anything bad in leaving. I
don't read that it was somehow God's punishment that all these guys died. We
have the advantage of seeing God's plan in this. They didn't. As disciples, we
learn not to judge God because of chaos in our lives. God is working for good.
It looked like one of the boys married OPRAH, but alas, it is really
ORPAH.
Vs. 15-18 Somewhere in this, there is not only loyalty, but also great
faith on Ruth's part. She was literally turning her back on her previous way of
life. Whatever this family was doing, even in dying and doubting their way,
they were a testimony to these two women. Ruth couldn't find a home anymore
apart from Naomi and her ways, and part of "her ways" was the worship
of Yahweh. Apparently Ruth fully believed in Yahweh.
Vs. 19-22 One irony we see here that Naomi didn't see was that she came
back bitter and empty in her own eyes, but we see Ruth with her. Bringing Ruth
back was probably the point of the entire ten-year adventure. God had been in
control and He was still in control.
V. 22 They returned around the time of the Passover. There is a lot of
redemption going on here. The BKC also mentions the frequency of the forms of
the word, return. This morning I was
reading that the pairs of apostles Jesus sent out, preached the gospel
"that men should repent"…that is, the gospel says to turn from sin
and turn toward God. I think that the image of turning or returning is part of
the early story in Ruth.
John 4:4-42
You know this story, and you'll make lots of great observations.
Vs. 4-6 Just for trivia, this place is probably Shechem from the OT
(Joshua 24:32). A lot of history took place there, in particular, the blessings
and curses and the renewal of the covenant in Joshua 8:33-34.
Vs. 7-15 I think the most instructive thing for me was that Jesus
understood this situation as being laid before Him by His Father. I think this
is one of those situations that shows us how Jesus abided in the Father and how
we as disciples abide in Christ.
Vs. 16-18 This was the Spirit giving Jesus some insider information at
a critical time.
Vs. 19-26 I've read this story several times and have never understood,
as many preachers say, that she was trying to get Jesus off onto a side issue.
It seems to me that when she realized that Jesus was a prophet, she asked a
question that was important for her, and Jesus gave her a very direct and
sensitive answer. Her response shows she had an open heart.
Vs. 27-30 Apparently you didn't talk to strange women. This was
culturally stretching for the disciples. I always chuckle at the people going
out to meet Jesus, especially since she told them that Jesus knew everything
she had ever done. You might have had a lot of scared husbands and suspicious
wives running out to speak to Jesus first.
Actually, you notice that this woman was not a prostitute, but simply a
hard woman to live with. She was someone who was chronically dissatisfied. She
had had 5 husbands. Apparently at the present time she was being “cautious,” regarding
marriage, but what she was doing was still immoral.
Vs. 31-38 And then Jesus used this to teach His disciples what we are
supposed to be doing on earth.
V. 34 Somehow I think this needs to be truer of me and all of us with
each passing day.
V. 35 I believe this. Lord, help my unbelief.
Vs. 39-42 What an amazing story. The Father created the situation; the
Spirit supplied the information and nudged the Son; and the Son saved the lost
and trained His disciples. Somehow I think this has something to do with
abiding in Christ.
Psalm 105:1-15
This is the first of three days
we'll be reading this psalm. It is probably written by David to unify the
nation in worshiping in Jerusalem. David is confirming that the present events
are God's blessing as promised in the promise to Abraham to save and bless
Israel and draw all nations to Him through Israel.
Vs. 1-6 The peoples are the
nations or Gentiles. Notice that Israel is always identified in Abraham. Notice
the commands of celebration: call, make known, sing, tell, glory, rejoice, seek
and remember. This would preach.
Vs. 7-11 Now notice the words, He and His. This is the God who makes covenants, and promises His love and
faithfulness.
Vs. 12-15 And not only does He
promise, He proves it with His power.
David is using God's
faithfulness to the covenant with Abraham, to motivate the nation to follow God
in the covenant with Moses. The covenant with Moses said that if they obeyed,
God would bless them as a nation. The covenant with Abraham says that God will
redeem Israel and use them to offer redemption to all nations. Both covenants
stood side by side, but faith in the promise to Abraham enabled the people to
pursue God in obeying the covenant under Moses.
Proverbs 14:25
The truth saves. Period. No
amount of "foggy speak," even Christian "foggy speak,"
saves lives. Disciples should lovingly tell people what their Master says and
let Him take the heat.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment