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 5
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.
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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