Friday, March 29, 2024

Bible in a Year March 29: 1 Samuel 18-19, Psalm 59

March 29: 1 Samuel 18-19, Psalm 59 

As mentioned yesterday we are switching to a chronological format for the rest of the Old Testament. First, an overview of the Psalms:

This book is a collection of 150 songs and prayers that are divided into five sub-books. The collection is considered poetry, and we lose a lot of the beauty of the work when it gets translated out of Hebrew.

David wrote 73 of these, Asaph 12, Sons of Korah 11, Solomon 2, and even one is attributed to Moses. 

Some scholars have suggested that Psalm 118:8, which reads, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans," could be seen as a key verse for the book of Psalms because it emphasizes the idea of seeking God's protection and guidance rather than relying on human strength or wisdom. However, this verse is not universally recognized as the key verse of Psalms, and many other verses throughout the book express similar themes and messages.

Related to today's text: 

Imagine being in a pasture watching the sheep one day, and a short time later being hailed as a hero by all of Israel! David moves directly from the battlefield to the castle where he again plays the harp, but this time he’s recognized by everyone, is successful at huge assignments, and must be wondering when it’s his turn to be king.

However, the king has become violent and angry, and David must be a bit confused. David finally gets the offer of marriage promised before he killed Goliath, but he turns it down. Yet when a second offer is made, he accepts. Since it says Michel was in love with him, we can presume he was aware of her affections and perhaps felt the same way. But as a shepherd he didn’t have the typical payment that was made to a family in exchange for a wife (death of Goliath not withstanding). Saul expects the requirement he sets to result in David’s death, but instead David provides twice the expected payment. What a messy ‘treasure’ that must have been.

When threatened with death, David runs to Samuel. There is no evidence that the two have been working together, but David may have been seeking answers. Don’t you wonder what all the prophesying was about in 19:20-23? The word used here, ‘nabi’ indicates they were in a prophetic trance, unable to act on their own accord. Were they perhaps telling of the downfall of Saul and rise of David?

We see David’s first published psalm at this time. He is obviously a devout follower of the Lord and relies on Him for strength. David’s confusion at the situation is apparent, too. It is estimated that David is no more than 20 years old, and he has no idea the way this situation will change his life for the next decade or so.

TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 20 – 21; Psalms 56, 34

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Bible in a Year March 28 - 1 Samuel 16-17

 March 28 - 1 Samuel 16-17 

I wonder what Jesse and David thought about David’s assignment to Saul as harpist? Was David always fearful that Saul would find out that he’d been chosen as the next king? It definitely gave David a chance to see the roles and responsibilities of a king. And it is disturbing that God gave Saul an evil spirit that overwhelmed him. We know that God is incapable of evil, so he must have given permission for an evil spirit to overtake Saul.

According to the National Geographic website, a rock shot from an ancient slingshot could be as deadly as a .44 Magnum! David was obviously experienced with this weapon that was known be accurate more than 600 feet away. The story of David and Goliath is one of the most famous in the Bible, but I find I can’t read it without hearing the voice of Junior Asparagus in my head (from the Veggie Tales show “Dave and the Giant Pickle”).

I noticed some things for the first time as I read it and I wonder if you found some new items, too. First there was the interaction with David’s brother, Eliab. Was he was jealous that David had been chosen to become king? Had David flaunted that a bit? Second, this was the first time I ever remember noticing that Goliath had a shield bearer in front of him. How did he play out in the story? Was he considered guilty of not protecting Goliath effectively? Often shield bearers were killed (or killed themselves) if they failed in battle. Third, it appears that Goliath might not have died immediately from the stone imbedded in his forehead. Verse 17:51 indicates David might have killed Goliath as he lie on the ground before he cut off his head.

Was there anything new for you in today’s reading?

TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 18-19, Psalm 59 (We are switching things up a bit and will be reading passages somewhat chronologically for a while to minimize duplication)



Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Bible in a Year March 27 - 1 Samuel 14-15

 March 27 - 1 Samuel 14-15

It’s hard to comprehend that Saul doesn’t seem the least bit upset that he will kill his son, especially after Jonathan’s heroics. Luckily the other men jump in and save Jonathan. It’s also hard to understand that God would punish Jonathan for unknowingly breaking the king’s command when the other men knowingly broke God’s command. I have to wonder if God truly was in the casting of the lot this time.

In yesterday’s reading we see that God takes away Saul’s legacy for a kingdom of all time. Now he rejects Saul as king – but he doesn’t remove him from the throne. In addition to disobeying God’s instruction, Saul has gone from a coward who hides behind the baggage to a braggart who sets up a monument in his own honor. When he hears that God has rejected him, he begs for another chance.

Just like Moses when he disobeyed, God’s decisions are final. I found it interesting that God grieved that he had made Saul king.

It is important to note that God did not change his mind about Saul – in his omniscience he knew all along that Saul would disobey. He continued on with his original plan. We see that Samuel mourned the rejection of Saul – I imagine he felt a bit of guilt for not working harder with Saul to ensure he was obedient. But of course Samuel didn’t know the whole story.

Today’s reading includes four separate texts that are covered in detail in a book called Hard Sayings of the Bible. You might want to see if you can find this book for a lot more information about these difficult passages.

TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 16-17

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Bible in a Year March 26 - 1 Samuel 11-13

 March 26 - 1 Samuel 11-13

If your Bible has study notes or text notes, you might want to look them over as you begin chapter 13. Apparently there have been some transcription errors over the years and different Bible versions deal with them in a variety of ways. The NIV says Saul was 30 years old when he started to reign, but some early translations do not have this information. Also, there is some confusion about whether the text says “he reigned over Israel for 42 years” (NIV, NLT, NASB, HCSB) or “when he had reigned for two years over Israel” (ESV, NKJV, ASV). According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the earliest recorded Hebrew is literally “Saul was years old when he began to rein and he reigned two years over Israel.”  If you are into the history of the Bible, you may want to investigate this further!

 So, we will presume this battle took place two years after he was named king. We see mention of his son Jonathon for the first time, and he had to be experienced enough to lead 1000 men into battle. It seems, therefore, that Saul must have married early. Saul heads to Gilgal, something that was told him during his first meeting with Samuel (see ch 10:9). Obviously Saul remembered that discussion because he knew to wait seven days. He moves forward with what he thinks is the right thing to do, but he is so wrong.

 Have you ever stepped out thinking you were doing the right thing but forgot to ask God about it first? Because of this Saul would lose the establishment of his kingdom for all time. Oh, this brings up questions for me! We were told back in Genesis 49:10, when Jacob blesses Judah, that the “scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” Was Samuel not given this information? We know God himself chose Saul (a Benjamite), and we know God knew Saul would mess up and his descendants wouldn’t reign eternally. Did the Israelites demand a king before David was old enough? Obviously more questions to ask when I get to Heaven.

 Lots more interesting stuff in today’s passage, but I’ve gone on long enough. What was most interesting to you?

 TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 14-15

Monday, March 25, 2024

Bible in a Year March 25: 1 Samuel 8-10

 March 25: 1 Samuel 8-10

I smiled a little at the conversation Saul had with the girls coming out of town. We know that Saul was an “impressive young man without equal among the Israelites - a head taller than any of the others”, but we don’t really know what he looked like. I can just hear these girls gabbing on about where to find the seer – they could have just said, “You will find him as you enter the town”. But instead they gave lots of details – were they flirting a bit, or were they just chatty?

 What it would be like to have someone tell you not only about your history but also about your future? Samuel mentions a great tree, but this is not the same one we’ve seen in the past. The ESV Bible states it was an oak tree, yet another indication of how God is in the details.

 Saul sees all the prophecies come true, and even prophesies himself when the Holy Spirit overtakes him. Yet he still hides when it comes time for him to be named king. It reminded me a bit of when Moses begged to be let out of his role. Have you ever felt the call of God to do something that seemed really out of place for you, and you tried to ignore it and hide?

 TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 11- 13

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Bible in a Year March 24: 1 Samuel 4-7

 March 24: 1 Samuel 4-7

Did the Israelites treat the Ark like an idol? I wonder if they sat that as God instead of just his resting place. It seems they thought that bringing it, instead of praying to God, would save them. When it doesn’t, and the Philistines capture it, I imagine they saw it as a demonstration that their god, Dagon, was more powerful than the true God. Do you think the Israelites thought they’d be struck dead when the Ark was taken?

The Philistines quickly realize that taking the Ark was a mistake, and they attempt a test to see if God would direct it back to Israel. They realize an offering must be made, but gold tumors and rats? Ewww. Some scholars believe the illness suffered by the Philistines was actually the plague (which we now know is spread by fleas on rats) – maybe they recognized a rat infestation was of God.

The returned Ark is received with great celebration by the people of Beth Shemesh. I thought it was interesting that it stopped by the field of Joshua. Of course this is not the Joshua from the days in the desert, but the name does mean “The Lord Saves”.  I imagine the Philistines didn’t cover the Ark appropriately, and some 70 people were killed because they looked upon it. Were all the people killed, or just the ones who wanted a chance to view it up close? Surely those who treated it appropriately, covering it and transferring it to safety, were safe (I hope).

Have we as Christians ever treated the cross as an idol, turning to it instead of God?

TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 8-10

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Bible in a Year March 23: 1 SAMUEL 1-3

 

March 23: 1 SAMUEL 1-3

1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book in early Hebrew manuscripts. Apparently when the books were translated into Greek (for a document called the Septuagint) the scrolls weren’t big enough so it had to be divided into two sections. We don’t know who wrote them, but it is likely that Samuel either wrote parts of them or at least supplied information for the sections before his death.

1 Samuel takes us through the time of Samuel’s leadership, the establishment of the kingship of Saul and up to Saul’s death. Samuel is a strong leader as a judge, prophet, and priest and he pulls the Israelites back to God. The book provides a lot of history and demonstrates God’s sovereignty over all things and how he delegates that to the leaders of the nation.

The key verse is probably 1 Samuel 8:6-7 “But when they said, ‘Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.’”

However, 1 Samuel 15:22-23 is also important: “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king’".

Hannah is devastated that she has not been able to bear a child. It doesn’t matter that her husband has finally gotten an heir (more about that later), she, like so many women, is desperate to feel quickening in her womb and to hold a child of her own. After years of prayer she gets her son, only to give him up to the Lord. Do you think she was asking to be let out of her vow on that long walk to Shiloh when she handed him over to Eli?

And while we might be judgmental toward Peninnah and her torturous taunting of Hannah, she also had a bit of a rough time. She was chosen as a second wife, most likely brought into the family only because Hannah was barren, with the sole purpose of providing an heir. She was successful, but her husband still showed favoritism to Hannah. I have to wonder how she felt after Hannah, too, had a son. Did she feel more than useless – especially after Hannah did such a noble thing?

Which woman can you relate to most?

I love that we are able to see Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving. I do wonder, however, if verse 2:3 was dedicated to Peninnah! It’s sweet that Hannah brought Samuel a miniature priest’s outfit each year when she visited.

When I read 1 Sam 2:26, “And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men,” I couldn’t help but think of Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Can you think of any other person who has similar text?

The call of God on Samuel is also interesting – Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the Ark was! Was he actually in the inner room? Verse 3:10 says God actually came and stood in the room with Samuel, and that was where he resided in the Tabernacle. We don’t know how old Samuel was at the time, but he was able to report all that God said when he reported back to Eli. I imagine I’d be so in awe that I was actually hearing the voice of God that I’d probably forget everything he said – perhaps divine visits are imprinted on our brains and hearts. God was with Samuel as he continued to grow and he ‘let none of his words fall to the ground’. Apparently Samuel was well respected by all of Israel before the prophecies he’d received about Eli and his sons came true.

TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 4-7