May 28: 2 Samuel 13; Psalm 119:81-96; Proverbs 16:6-7; John 17

Overview

            2 Samuel: Absalom, David’s son had a beautiful sister and David’s other son by a different wife, Amnon fell so much in love with her that it made him sick. Rather than ask David for her in marriage, he listened to bad advice and got David to send her to cook food for him so he would get well. He raped her. He then hated her and set her away.

            David did nothing when he heard about it other than become angry. Two years later, Absalom took revenge and killed Amnon at a banquet he arranged for all of David’s sons. David heard that all his sons were killed but Jonadab told him it was only Amnon. Absalom then fled. David mourned for a long time and after three years, he started to miss Absalom.

            Psalm: The Psalmist expresses more in these verses about the affliction he has faced from others. He is concerned about how long it will last. In all of these problems he expresses hope and confidence in God’s word. He then reflects on God’s eternality and faithfulness shown in creation. He identifies as part of God’s creation and through his word he has life. He is still asking for help as he keeps an eye on God’s word.

            Proverbs: Sin is forgiven by steadfast love and faithfulness; fear of the Lord keeps one from evil. When a person pleases the Lord, the Lord makes his enemies to be at peace with him.

            John: Jesus begins a lengthy prayer to the Father. He first asks for the Father to glorify him because the Father has given him authority to give eternal life to those who are his. When they know God and Jesus they have eternal life.

            He prays for all those that God has given him, not the world. They know that Jesus came from the Father and have received the truth. Jesus is leaving the world and going to the Father so he asks the Father to keep them. Jesus guarded them and didn’t lose any except the one that was specified in Scripture.

            He has given them the Father’s word and the world hates them. Jesus doesn’t want them taken out of the world but to keep them from the evil one. He asks for them to be sanctified by the word which is truth. Jesus consecrates himself so they may be sanctified.

            Jesus doesn’t ask just for the Apostles but for all people who will believe in Jesus through the Apostle’s word. He asks that we will all be one just as the Father and Jesus are in each other and that they love each other in the same way the Father loves the Son. Then the world will believe the Father sent Jesus. He wants us to be with him and see his glory given to him before the foundation of the earth.

What Stood Out

            2 Samuel: “When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry” (2 Sam 13:21).

            Psalm: “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction” (Ps 119:92).

            Proverbs: “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for” (Prov 16:6).

            John: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (John 17:20).

Insight

            2 Samuel: There is nothing in this account that says David did anything other than get angry when he discovered that his firstborn son, Amnon had raped his half-sister Tamar. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide an explanation, “Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint add But he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn” (2 Sam 13:21 ESV notes). Regardless of other reasons, David’s inaction in the face of this grievous sin may very well be because of his own sin with Bathsheba.

            This is one of Satan’s schemes for paralyzing Christians. We sin and blow it. We do something that everyone would agree is a nasty sin. Then, when we are faced with having to deal with someone else who has done something, especially in our own family, we freeze. We don’t want to be a hypocrite and punish someone when we’ve been spared.

            Maybe it was because of David’s love for his son that he didn’t punish him. That’s another way Satan disables Christians. He tells us that if we really loved that person, we wouldn’t punish them as they deserve. After all, God didn’t punish David with death. We forget that David was punished.

            Then our mishandling of the situation escalates later. In David’s case, Absalom became a murder. We need to remember that sin must be confronted as soon as possible. Just becoming angry about sin isn’t enough. There is a reason for the justice of the Law and that was to deter others. That doesn’t make it any easier when the offenders are your own children. We are too eager to excuse and become enablers.

            Psalm: Each one of us has to go through different afflictions in our lives. If we examine what this Psalm reiterates, we discover that delight in God’s word helps us through these times of trouble. We get our hope from God’s word. If we didn’t have Jesus in our lives, and he is the Word, we would most likely surrender to despair. You can read the statistics in the newspaper or look them up on the web. More people are committing suicide than ever before. 5% of kids as young as 6^thgraders admit they have attempted to kill themselves. The percentage goes up to 10% for 12^th graders. 17.5% of seniors have thought about killing themselves. This is for Snohomish County, Washington.[1]In this generation when the Bible is not preached, when God is eliminated from public life, the loss of hope brings despair and suicide. Our hope is in the Lord and the Lord reveals himself in the Word. No wonder the Psalmist could say that he would have perished in his affliction without his delight in God’s word.

            Proverbs: I had to take a second look at Proverbs 16:6. Really, can my steadfast love and faithfulness atone for iniquity. But then I remembered references to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness is repeated many times in the Psalms. Our love is not steadfast and our faith is fickle. We can never atone for any sin. It is only the Lord’s steadfast love and faithfulness that atones for sin through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross. He is the only one who can atone for our sins. Praise God that we can turn to him and have our sins forgiven.

            John: The unity of the trinity is expressed by Jesus in these last two chapters. In this one, the relationship of the Father and Son becomes exceedingly clear. The great part of it is when Jesus says he is in the Father and the Father is in him (John 17:21) and that’s what he wants for us. He also speaks of the Father’s love for him (John 17:23-24). This love is in Jesus and he asks for it to be in us (John 17:26).

            Everything in Jesus’ prayer is for us as well as the Apostles (John 17:20). Therefore, we know that when we accept Jesus into our lives and our hearts we not only have Jesus living in us but we have the Father as well. We don’t have to be concerned about whether or not we have the Holy Spirit or Jesus or the Father. We have all three. We are in them and they are in us. This is spiritual, not physical so don’t get concerned about an infinite God living in a finite person or Jesus having a physical body and living in us. Rejoice that the fulness of God is in us (Eph 3:19).

            Oh, by the way, we really ought to be loving each other and in unity because Jesus is praying for us to be that way just as he and the Father are.

Application

             I need to be careful about not letting my past sins keeping me from doing what is right now. While I need to extend mercy and grace, I can’t overlook sins and neither should our churches. Because we have God living in us, though, we should be living in unity and love of each other. It is not easy to balance all these things this side of heaven. However, my hope is firmly fixed on God’s word.

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[1]Sharon Salyer and Kari Bray, "More county teens say they’ve seriously considered suicide," HeraldNet.com, May 28, 2017, , accessed May 28, 2017,http://www.heraldnet.com/news/more-teens-in-county-reveal-theyve-seriously-considered-suicide/.

May 27: 2 Samuel 12; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 16:4-5; John 16

Overview

            2 Samuel: The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to confront David about his sin with Bathsheba. He tells David a parable about a rich man taking a poor man’s only pet ewe lamb to feed his guest. David says the man deserves to die. Nathan tells David that he is the man for killing Uriah and taking his wife for his own. The Lord tells David he has given him everything and if it weren’t enough he would have given him more but David despised the Lord’s word.

            David admits his guilt and the Lord tells him he will not die but the consequences of his sin are: the sword will not depart from his house, his wives will be given to his neighbor who will lie with them publicly, and his son by Bathsheba will die.

            When the child becomes ill, David weeps and fasts. When the child dies, he gets up and eats. His servants are confused. David tells them that while the child was alive, perhaps the Lord would spare him so he fasted. Once he died, he can’t bring him back but David will go to be with him. He comforts Bathsheba and Solomon is born. The Lord love Solomon so he is also called Jedidiah (means beloved of the Lord – ESV notes).

            Joab fought against Rabbah, the Ammonite’s capital. When it was about to fall, he told David to come and get the honor or the city would be renamed in his honor. David brought all the forces and took the city and took their king’s crown for himself. He took the plunder and made the people slaves.

            Psalm: The Psalmist continues to extol God’s word. He knows God has dealt well with him and ask to be taught. He knows that affliction brought him back to the Lord and learned God’s statutes. People say bad things about him but he keeps God’s word. His word is better than riches.

            Because the Lord made him, he asks for understanding. Others will see and rejoice that he hopes in God’s word. He acknowledges God word is right and his afflictions are God’s faithfulness. God’s love is comforting, his mercy gives life. The Psalmist asks God to put to shame those who lie about him while he meditates on God’s word. He wants those who fear the Lord to turn to the Psalmist to learn God’s testimonies. He wants to be blameless and not put to shame.

            Proverbs: God has made everything for a purpose, even wicked people. That doesn’t mean those wicked arrogant people are any less of an abomination to him. He will punish them.

            John: Jesus continues talking to the Apostles. He explains he is telling them these things so they won’t fall away. They will be kicked out of the synagogues and whoever kills them will think they are helping God. He didn’t tell them earlier because he was with them, but now that he is going away, he will send the Helper. The Helper will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Sin because they don’t believe in Jesus, righteousness because Jesus is going to the Father, and judgement because the ruler of the world is judged.

            Jesus has more to tell them but they are overloaded. The Spirit will guide them into truth, tell of future things, and glorify Jesus.

            The Apostles don’t understand Jesus when he says, “in a little while” they won’t see him and then will. He explains they will weep and mourn while the world rejoices, then their sorrow will turn to joy and no one will be able to take that joy away. They will then ask the Father in Jesus’ name and he will give it to them so their joy will be full. At that time, he will talk plainly about the Father but now, he will be leaving the world and going to the Father.

            The Apostles say that he is now speaking plainly and they know he has come from the Father. Jesus doubts that they understand and tells them they will soon be scattered. They will leave him alone but he will still be with the Father. He is telling them so they may have peace, but in the world, they will have tribulation. Jesus has overcome the world.

What Stood Out

            2 Samuel: “Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man” (2 Sam 12:5).

            Psalm: “I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me” (Ps 119:75).

            Proverbs: “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble” (Prov 16:4).

            John: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12).

Insight

            2 Samuel: David’s sin catches up with him when Nathan confronts him. When David hears about the man who sinned against his neighbor by taking his pet lamb, David became angry and pronounced judgment. This was an interesting way of convicting David of his own sin. He first had to express righteous anger over someone else’s sin. When he was in this mood, God convicted him of his own sin.

            We all have pet sins in our lives. These are the ones that just don’t seem to be bad enough to take the time to repent. Sometimes, it’s the way we talk to or about others, snide comments, gossip, hurtful observances about their person. It could be bad habits that don’t honor the Lord like drinking too much (but not an alcoholic – God forbid). Perhaps its eating too much (never gluttony). However, we can become very angry when we see someone else doing something we consider a vile moral evil. Every time we become angry over someone else’s sin we should ask the Lord where he wants us to repent. Judgmental anger often reveals we have our own sin that require attention.

            Psalm: In today’s reading the Psalmist expresses gratitude in his afflictions. He exhibits a great trust in the Lord. I wonder how many Christians can take these verses to heart? “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word” (Ps 119:67). “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Ps 119:71). “I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me” (Ps 119:75).

            God’s affliction or discipline is something that we should accept and be glad that he loves us enough to keep us from going astray. We should know that when we bend his rules, he will do what is necessary to bring us back to him. God is faithful and his steadfast love is behind his rules and is why he won’t let us go our own way. Let’s thank the Lord for his afflictions.

            Proverbs: We don’t like verses in the Bible that tell us God has even made evil people, calamities, or afflictions for a purpose. Yet here is a proverb that clearly states that there is a purpose for wicked people. We could say that their purpose is to be punished because they were made for the day of trouble. However, as we look at the reading in Psalm 119, we have to realize that the day of trouble is the day when the wicked afflict us. Sure, they will be punished in their own time. But our afflictions often come from wicked people and God has a purpose in that. This is hard theology. When we embrace and trust that God’s ways are best, we can get rid of our arrogance that makes us think we know what is best.

            John: Jesus kept telling the Apostles that everything he was talking about was to give them joy, peace, and not falling away. Yet, he also realized that they couldn’t yet understand what he was telling them. The Holy Spirit would make it clear when he comes to them. At this point in their lives, they were overwhelmed.

            When we grow in Christ, we start at the same point as the Apostles. They believed but without the Holy Spirit they couldn’t really grasp the deeper meanings of Jesus’ teaching. Sometimes, we need to be patient with people who are expressing an interest in Jesus. We can’t dump all the hard theological concepts on them because it will overwhelm them. Even after coming to saving faith, we often need to keep it simple until their faith becomes stronger and they learn more and more about our great God.

Application

            I need to express my gratitude to the Lord about afflictions. They may be minor or major, but they have a purpose and I need to trust Jesus in all of these.

May 26: 2 Samuel 9 – 11; Psalm 119:49-64; Proverbs 16:1-3; John 15

Overview

            2 Samuel: David wanted to show kindness to some of Saul’s descendants so he called Ziba who was a servant of Saul’s house. Ziba told David that Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, was alive and crippled in both feet. David sent for Mephibosheth and restored all of Saul’s property to him and also had him eat at David’s table. He commanded Ziba and all his servants to farm Mephibosheth’s land.

            The king of the Ammonites died and David sent comforters to his son, Hanun because the king had been loyal to David. The Ammonite princes convinced Hanun that the comforters were really spies so they shaved half of their beards and cut off their clothes at the hip. The Ammonites realized this was a great offence to David so they hired 33,000 men to fight David. David sent Joab and Abishai to fight them. Israel was caught between Ammonites and the hired troops. Joab and Abishai fought for the people, the cities of God and trusted the Lord to do what he thought was good. Joab and Abishai won the battle.

            The Syrians regrouped and brought back reinforcements. When David heard about it, he went to battle and won a great victory. The Syrians then made peace with Israel and became subject to Israel. They were afraid to help the Ammonites again.

            David stayed in Jerusalem and sent Joab out to battle the Ammonites in the spring. From his roof, David saw Bathsheba bathing. She was beautiful, so he inquired about her and found out she was Uriah’s wife. David sent for her and she got her pregnant. David had Joab send Uriah from the battles in the hopes he would lay with his wife and think that the baby was his. However, Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with the servants. David got him drunk but Uriah still didn’t go home. David sent him back to Joab with a letter telling Joab to make sure Uriah died in battle.

            Joab did as asked and sent a messenger to David telling him Uriah was dead. Bathsheba mourned her husband. After the time of mourning, David took her as his wife.

            Psalm: The Psalmist gets hope and comfort from God’s word so he doesn’t turn away even when insulted. It makes him angry when he sees wicked people ignore God’s laws. But he keeps them and has blessings.

            He claims God for his very own and promises to keep the Lord’s words. He then asks the Lord to be gracious to him as he considers his ways and doesn’t delay in obedience. Even when the wicked surround him, he praises the Lord in the night. He hangs out with others who fear the Lord. The earth is full of God’s love but he still needs the Lord to teach him.

            Proverbs: We can plan all we want but the Lord is the one that provides the answers. We may think our ways are pure but the Lord knows our real motives. So, commit all you do to the Lord and it will work out.

            John: Jesus speaks to his disciples. He identifies himself as the vine and his Father as the vinedresser. His disciples are the branches and must remain in him to bear fruit. The Father prunes the branches that bear fruit but cuts off the ones that don’t bear fruit and tosses them in the fire. The disciples can’t do anything unless they abide in Jesus. If they abide in him they can ask for anything and it will be done for them. Bearing fruit glorifies the Father. They abide in Jesus’ love by obeying his commandments. He tells them this so his joy will be in them.

            His command is to love each other in the same way he loved them. There is no greater love than laying down one’s life for his friends. The disciples are his friends if they do what he commands. He calls them friends and tells them his Father’s business. They didn’t choose Jesus, he chose them to bear fruit. Whatever they ask the Father in Jesus’ name he will do.

            If the world hates them it is because it hates Jesus. The world loves its own but the disciples are not of the world. They were chosen out of the world. The world persecuted Jesus so it will persecute the disciples because it dosen’t know the one who sent Jesus. The world is guilty of sin because Jesus made it evident to the world and those in the world don’t have any excuse. Whoever hates Jesus also hates the Father.

            Jesus will send the Helper from the Father and he will bear witness about Jesus. The disciples will also bear witness because they were with Jesus from the beginning.

What Stood Out

            2 Samuel: “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him” (2 Sam 10:12).

            Psalm: “Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law” (Ps 119:53).

            Proverbs: “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit” (Prov 16:2).

            John: “Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2).

Insight

            2 Samuel: Joab is quite a scoundrel in the Bible. He murders Abner and makes sure that Uriah dies in battle as David asked. However, in the heat of a battle, caught between two forces, he trusts the Lord to do what is good in his sight (2 Sam 10:12). It is a strange mix of sinful behavior and trust in God. In some ways, we are all like him. We believe in Jesus and have declared him to be our Lord and Savior. However, we often fall into sin that is just as bad as Joab and David with Bathsheba. We hate someone and that is the same as murder according to Jesus. We commit adultery in our hearts if not physically. We lie to get what we want or to cover up the other sins. And yet, we trust the Lord to work it all out for good, or so we say.

            David’s and Joab’s sins are not put in the Bible to help us justify our own sins. They are there to show us the depth of our own sinfulness. We judge them and say we would not have done that, but that simply means we know better and have no excuse when we do the same things or any sin for that matter. These events should help us throw ourselves on God’s mercy, repent of our sins, and be cleansed from our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

            Psalm: After thinking about Joab and David, Psalm 119:53 is striking. When I get really angry about people and their horrid sins, what am I saying about myself? While justice should be served, do I get even 1/1000 as angry about my own sin? No, because I tend to overlook them. I think they are not as bad and somehow more forgivable or excusable. There may be a time when I should be angry about other people’s sins, but I should be praying for their repentance and salvation rather than wanting justice. After all, I haven’t gotten what I deserve for my sins.

            Proverbs: We can plan our whole lives or just the next few minutes. We may believe we are really following the Lord in those plans and we should. However, we still have sin lurking in us and our motives aren’t always pure. It helps us to remember that the Lord know what’s in our spirits. We can always ask him to examine our hearts and reveal to us whether our motives are pure or not.

            John: There’s some pretty scary things that Jesus said in this chapter. We usually skip over those verses to get to the promises of answered prayer or having Jesus’ joy within us. But we shouldn’t skip the warnings. The first warning is about what happens to us when we don’t abide in Jesus; we will not bear fruit if we don’t abide in him. Jesus warns us that if we don’t bear fruit, the Father will cut us off (John 15:2) and throw us in the fire (John 15:6). The scary part is that this raises the question of whether or not a person can lose his salvation. In verse 2, Jesus identifies the branch as being his (ESB, NLT) or in him (NIV, NAS, NKJV). When the branch doesn’t bear fruit, it is cut off, dries up, and is thrown into the fire.

            This brings up a dilemma because Jesus had previously said believers have eternal life and will not be judged (John 5:24). He said he gives them eternal life and they will never perish (John 10:28). The best way I can resolve this is to remember that Jesus is not necessarily talking to us but to his disciples. Who was with Jesus, considered one of his, and didn’t bear fruit? It was Judas. If this applies only to the Apostles, then it makes sense. If it applies to all believers then Jesus contradicted himself or it had to have another meaning than losing eternal life and perishing.

            Other scary things include pruning. We don’t like the idea of the implication of trials that pruning brings. The other is the promise of being hated by the world. We don’t always see the pruning or hatred in everyone’s life. So, this could also only be a promise to the Apostles even though we see it generally for all Christians.

            I’ll leave these questions for you to ponder. If this passage is Jesus preparing the Apostles for his departure, are the promises only for them or are they for us as well? If for us, then can we lose our salvation if we stop abiding in Jesus as evidenced by not bearing fruit? Is the promise to ask for anything in Jesus’ name (John 15:16) for them only and not for us? Would that explain why we don’t always get the answers to prayer we expect?

Application

            I need to be more merciful to others who are caught in sin. I’m usually too judgmental. I need forgiveness for this as well as all the sins I continue to commit. I need God’s mercy every day.