Bible Reading Challenge Blog

The Gospel of Luke contains the most detail concerning the birth of Jesus and the events surrounding the birth. We find the story of John the baptist and his parents and how they were not able to conceive, but then, very similar to what happens to Mary, an angel appears and promises that John will be born and that he will be the one to announce the coming of the Messiah. Similarly Mary receives an angel in what is called the Annunciation, meaning that the angel announces the birth to be of Jesus. We then read about the birth and the corresponding visit of the shepherds, the three visits to the temple: circumcision, purification, and probably his bar mitzvah at 12.

Jesus chooses his discipes in this Gospel but not until after he has been tempted and done work in casting out demons and healing people. But Jesus has already done some pretty amazing things before the disciples are chosen. Throughout his ministry Jesus makes sure that people know that he is there to heal the sick and not to prop up those who are leaders in the community or those who already have the institutions in their favor. Look at the song of both Mary and of Simeon in the temple. The poor and the lowly are lifted up in both.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt Luke portrays those who follow Jesus, and really Jesus’ ministry as a whole, as a reversal of what culture and society normally attests. Those without power and the poorest and disenfranchised are the ones that Jesus singles out as his disciples and his children. Those who operate in this world with power and with reckless abandon are seen as enemies of Jesus. This is something to cause us pause today as we see many who understand their role in the world as shaking things up and driving people out in a way that is contrary to Scripture. God never acts in ways that contradict His word. The poor and the powerless are still the most favored by God.

Things are not looking good in Micah, he predicts, accurately I might add, that Israel and Judah will be defeated and will be carted off into exile. In fact, the wording is pretty descriptive, even as we wish that it would not be so descriptive. Look at chapter 3 that describes the current situation where the rulers are eating the flesh of their own people. While we should not take this literally, it is a clear description of how the rulers of the people of God are more interested in their own way of life being preserved, than in th needs of the people. The line that struck me this time the most is seen in 3:5 where they declare peace to those who provide them with something to eat and war against those who provide nothing. This sense of favoritism among their own people is cannibalism at its finest.

We can’t miss the best known verses in this passage. Go to Micah 5:2 where you see the prediction of the coming Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. This is how the advisors to Herod knew where he was going to be born when the wise men were visiting to see where the future king would be born. You see that in Matthew. But this isn’t actually the best known Scripture in Micah, but we can’t miss this important Scripture which revels itself especially in this time of year as we prepare for Christmas.

The best known Scripture is seen in Micah 6:6-8, where we see what the Lord actually requires from each one of us. God is not interested in superfical worship that may or may not change our lives. God is interested not in sacrifices that are perfunctory and of no impact on our lives or on the live of those around us. God is genuinely interested in justice, kindness, and walking humbly with God. These three things are reflected in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5-7 where we understand the way of life to which God has called us. A way of life which reflects justice, kindness, and walking humbly with God.

We find ourselves at the end of the life of David. It is sad to see him require help as he battles and as he fights the Philistines. Look at chapter 22 and you will see a mirror to Psalm 18, and it also rings similar to this song that we learned many years back.

David continues his journey out of Jerusalem to safer ground where he can flee from Absalom. But he does have a few moles left behind, including one who changes the advice given to the king. Hushai counters the advice of Ahithopel and as a result sets up David for victory. Before that takes place Ahithopel recognizing that the king did not listen to him takes his own life. Wow, there is a lot of intruige in all of this.

Even while David is readying for battle and send out his troops he still cares for and loves his son. He wants to make sure that his son is spared. But that doesn’t happen, and the details of his death are pretty gruesome. We find in the Psalms, our later readings, a plea for deliverance from his enemies. Both Psalm 4 and 5 are pleas and Psalm 7 gives us a song against Cush who some say is this guy in II Samuel 16 who cursed at David as he fled from Jerusalem.

We have to begin this blog with Psalm 51 which is probably one of the most poweful Psalms that we have. It recounts the time after the prophet Nathan approaches David and condemns him and his household for the rape of Bathsheba. I know that most people call it adultery, but that would ony be if the power dynamics was one where she could have said no. She was not in a position to say no when the King calls her into his presence. She had to do what the king asked. It was rape.

The Psalm describes David’s repentance and sorrow for what he had done, which is important and necessary, but doesn’t eliminate the punishment that was going to take place as a result of this sin. It was basically two-fold. The baby that was conceived and then born as a result of David’s sin dies. Think of Bathsheba, raped and then her child dies. Wow, this punishmetn is not just against David but it has a lastin affect on her as well. She is ultimately victimized over and over again. The second punishment that could not be avoided was that there would be violence in David’s house. We see this happen with Absalom. We leave this book of the Bible with David fleeing Jerusalem and Absalom coming into town. All of this is a result of David’s sin. Don’t ever downplay sin as not a big deal. It can change your life and cause tragedy and devastation in its wake.

David begins his reign by bringing the Ark of the Covenant, which for all intents and purposes was the actual presence of God, into Jerusalem. There is a bit of a mishap as it makes its way to Jerusalem which makes David really angry, but not angry enough to leave the ark out of Jerusalem. As it makes its way into Jerusalem David is really, really excited. So much so that he embarrasses his wife. Not a good move.

Chapter 7 is key because it is here where we see God make his covenant with David and it is from this covenant that we know that Jesus was to come. It is from the house of David that deliverance is to come. You may not be able to see all of that in this chapter, but on this side of history we can see the significance of this covenant that God makes with David. It is a covenant that as Christians we hang our hats on. The Messiah, our Savior, the annointed one, the Christ is to come from the line of David, and we know that he did just that in Jesus.

A couple thoughts on the Psalms that we read. They are psalms of victory where the author, supposedly David, is extolling the presence of God in the defeat of his enemies. The remaining chapters of Samuel that we read account his battles and how God gave him detailed strategy that allowed him to overcome his enemies. These celebratory Psalms regale the presence of God and downplay the presence of the soldiers. This is a constant theme.

We see how quickly David consolidates his power once Saul and his son Jonathan die. It does seem like he is a bit of a reticent king. He kills the person who told him about the death of Saul and his son. Granted, the person not only told David about it, but actually killed the King himself. He kills the two who then take out the other son of Saul who was heading up Israel at the time, even though he was never annointed. It really took out all of David’s competition, but David wasn’t pleased with people taking the initiative against people who ostensibly could have been placed there by God. So this reticent annointed king eventually becomes king after all.

He settles in Jerusalem which is then called the city of David. One of the more powerful times that I have had in Israel was when we drove through a tunnel and the next thing we saw was Jerusalem there sitting on a hill. The driver turned on the song Jerusalem and the guide and the driver led the whole bus in song as they celebrated the city. This city of David becomes the city of David because of this Scripture. From then on David is found defending the city.

The story of David’s life continues, and David continues to flee from Saul. He is basically on the run for most of Samuel until Saul dies, which is coming up after our readings today. For a second time David spares Saul’s life and for a second time a peace accord was written. But it doesn’t last long at all as Saul continues to send his soldiers, and he also goes himself, after David. By this time David is tired of staying with Israel and so having to watch his back day and night. So he decides to leave Israel and go to a foreign territory where he knows that Saul would no longer pursue him. He does so and teams up with the king of Gath and they make raids together. This can’t last. David is going to be king one day, but until then, he has to continue to be a warrior, and he does.

At this time Saul finds himself surrounded by Philistines and he fears for his life. He is not able to hear the voice of God because God has left him. So he turns to magic and a medium conjures up the dead Samuel. We aren’t here to say whether this is possibile of not, but I do say that we should never mess with these kinds of things because the realm of that which is outside of our understanding can really mess us up. Don’t ever turn to these types of things because you can’t hear God’s voice. God will come to us, but not through means that are outside of His will. Saul is told that he and his sons will die in the battle that is coming up.

Curiously, David is making his way with his new friends, the Philistines, to battle against Saul, but they force him to go back to his refuge town because they don’t trust him. As he gets back home his women and children have been captured and the town has been burned to the ground. Well, he seeks and receives vengeance and brings all of his people back plus all the massive spoils from the nation that had raided his home town. It is at this point that David’s fame spreads well beyond just the little town of Ziklag.

The story of David continues along. Before we get to I Samuel I wanted to point out the Psalms that we are reading, and especially their prologues which contain the contexts in which the psalms were written. Don’t disregard these prologues. Psalm 34 says that it was written: “Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.” Psalm 54 states that it was written: “when the Ziphites went and told Saul, ‘David is in hiding among us.” Each of these times in the life of David we saw in our readings for today.

Now back to our readings. David eats the holy bread and Jesus himself brings up this scene as an example of how people of God are able to do that which seems like a breaking of the law. It is a bit tricky, but makes sense, that the law is in place to help us and not to bind us. Look at Matthew 12:3-8 where Jesus makes this argument. We have the tragic story of Saul slaughtering the priests becasue they had helped David. It does seem a bit excessive, speaking as someone who might be considered a priest.

Throughout this whole time David is running from one stronghold to another and trying to elude Saul while Saul is trying to track him down. This all changes when they get to the caves of Ein-Gedi where Saul relieves himself and David cuts his robe to show him that even in his most vulnerable time David would never hurt the king. Saul realizes his mistake and welcomes David back into the fold. Now, David doesn’t go back into Saul’s court, notice, even though ostensibly he should be safe enough to do so. He stays outside. He marries a couple of different wives since Saul gave his wife away while he was away. That’s pretty cold. But that will also change.

We begin our time with David, and it is a really good time. Samuel annoints David and this chapter gives us on one of the most powerful verses in the whole Old Testament. Look at I Samuel 16:7 where we find a reminder that God’s intent is to look upon our hearts and his desire is not all about our appearance. But apparently David had both, the heart and the appearance. The Spirit of the Lord descended upon him. The next chapter we have the great story of David and Goliath. Again, this is proof of what the presence of God is able to do for us. It allows us to overcome all odds. Saul then changes his atitude toward David, another proof that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I don’t want us to miss the relationship between David and Jonathan. They truly loved each other in a way that brothers love each other. I could see this relationship in a way that brothers might love each other when one parent is looking to harm one of the children and the other child comes to their defense. This is what happens with David and Jonathan. Remember David promised to not hurt the family of Jonathan when he came into power. The fact that David was going to eventually come into power is basically a foregone conclusion by this point. But that wouldn’t be strange, he was, after all, the king’s son in law. Who else would come into power, Jonathan? This is the pretext that Saul gives at the end of these chapters for why he is looking to kill David, so that his own son would be able to take the throne when he is gone.

Psalm 59 is a song about David’s time while he is being pursued by Saul. Notice the end of the Psalm, verses 16-17 where David reminds his audience of the faithfulness of God. God is faithful and will remain faithful forever.