March 18 – Day 78 – 1 Samuel 18-21; Mark 4 Day 353 – Hebrews 5-8; Luke 12

[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 353 – Hebrews 5-8; Luke 12 summary!]

1 Samuel 18 records the beginning of King Saul’s official “fear” of David. The people of Israel recognized God was with David and gave him greater acclamation for his victories in battle than they gave Saul. Saul became both jealous and fearful of David. That is never a good combination. As we read through the chapter, we find several times the actions of David–all positive actions in service to King Saul–resulted in Saul fearing David more and more.

We also read in this chapter of Jonathan’s friendship with David. In our current culture, many in the LGBTQ culture grab onto this relationship, seeing it as a biblical example of a homosexual relationship. Nothing could be farther from the truth. One of the saddest distortions in the current discussions about sexuality is all same-sex relationships are immediately seen as sexual. I have had the same accountability partner for more than twenty-five years. I have shared thoughts, feelings and experiences with him over the years, I have not shared with anyone else. What do you call that? You call it a healthy accountability relationship–“iron sharpening iron” as King Solomon called it in the Book of Proverbs. In any case, Jonathan’s love for David was so great he yielded his right to follow his father as king. He does it symbolically in this chapter, and will do it in fact, later in this book. Such friendship is rare and is a great blessing when we experience it.

1 Samuel 19-20 offers us a couple of examples of how much Jonathan sided with David, and how committed King Saul was to kill David. While Jonathan promised David that his father intended him no harm, David was sure Saul wanted to end his life. Saul set a trap for David at his house, but Michal, Saul’s daughter and David’s wife saved him. We see Saul’s family was on board with David becoming the king, but Saul’s desire to be the king and to pass the monarchy to his son, blinded him to God’s plan for Israel’s future. While Saul is an extreme example of what happens when we put our plans before the LORD’s plans, we are all tempted daily to seek first our will rather than God’s Kingdom and righteousness. Let’s remember Saul’s radical disobedience to following God’s will and commit ourselves to the path of obedience to the LORD!

In 1 Samuel 21, David escapes from serving Saul. He goes to Ahimelech the priest and asks for food for him and his men. (David’s men were those assigned to him by Saul, yet they were loyal to David, which tells us again the difference between David and Saul. David was a man of valor and character, who was worthy of being followed. Saul was neither.) While Ahimelech told David he only had bread for the priests, he also told David he could have it if his men were ceremonially clean. They were. David received the food and Goliath’s sword which had been stored there. David noticed one of Saul’s servants was there: Doeg the Edomite. (This will play an important role in the near future, so keep it in mind.) Finally, David decided to go to the Philistines to serve them. At least there, he would be free from Saul. The problem was the Philistines knew David was a nemesis to them, so David pretended to be insane, so the king of Gath wouldn’t kill him. The plan worked, and David was safe…for the moment.

As we return to Mark 4, we read the first section with extended teaching from Jesus. We read The Parable of the Sower and its interpretation, The Parable of the Lamp on the Stand, The Parable of the Growing Seed, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. In each of the parables Jesus was illustrating what the Kingdom of God was “like.” It is impossible for us to understand fully what the Kingdom of God is like until we experience it in its fullness, but Jesus’ parable helps us to see it is not ordinary, and it is not what we would expect. We also see it is bigger and more than we would expect. Mark closes the chapter with the record of Jesus calming a storm, which saved the disciples from drowning, because they were on a boat during the storm. After the act, Jesus asked the disciples why they had such little faith? Their response was terror, because they had never experienced power and authority as Jesus demonstrated it. This time the object of Jesus’ power and authority was nature itself. Let’s remember whatever we face in life, Jesus has the power and authority to get us through it!

Day 353 – Hebrews 5-8; Luke 12

In Hebrews 5, the author contrasts every other human high priest with Jesus. Each of them were weak and had to offer sacrifices for their own sins before offering sacrifices for the rest. Jesus needed to make no such sacrifice. We’re told Jesus learned His obedience through suffering. No one ever suffered as much as we have, and at each point He relied on His heavenly Father to bring Him through it. The chapter closes with a reminder not to fall away. We are told the readers are still “infants,” although by this time they ought to be mature.

As we move to Hebrews 6, the author tells his readers to move on from the “elementary teachings/principles” of our faith. He lists six: 1) repentance from sin; 2) faith in God; 3) instructions about baptisms; 4) the laying on of hands; 5) the resurrection of the dead; and 6) eternal judgment.  As we look at the six, two of them might surprise us a bit: instructions about baptisms (plural) and laying on of hands.  The other four are definitely elementary and fundamental teachings/principles of our faith.  These two are as well, because they establish the importance of baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the laying on of hands reminds us of the importance of this practice both when it comes to recognizing or commissioning leaders, and when we pray for others for healing. That they are included in the “elementary” aspects of our faith, shows us both they are building blocks for the deeper aspects, and we must continue to teach and live them as we mature.  The words that follow these elementary teachings have caused much discussion and dissension. Those being that it is impossible for those who have received the word and fallen away to be restored. While they are true at some level, because they are part of scripture, most of the New Testament teaches about second chances. Peter comes to mind. He followed Jesus for three years and fell away in Jesus’ time of greatest need. When Jesus rose from the dead, He restored Peter. The truth of these words is we must do all we can to maintain our relationship with God and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, because “backsliding” leads to our ruin. The remainder of the chapter speaks of God’s faithfulness and introduces us to Melchizedek, who will be the focus of Hebrews 7.

In Hebrews 7, Jesus is compared to Melchizedek, who was greater than Abraham. The reasoning for Melchizedek being greater than Abraham is Abraham paid a tithe of the spoils of war to Melchizedek, and the lesser pays homage to the greater. The further point is made that Jesus is a priest in the order of Melchizedek, because He was of the line of Judah and not the line of Levi. At the end of the day, we see again Jesus is supreme over any other earthly priest, because He is both human and God’s son.

In Hebrews 8, the author summarizes everything he has written about Jesus as the high priest, and then emphasizes He is also the high priest of the new covenant. God had predicted the coming of a new covenant through the prophet Jeremiah, whom he quotes in this chapter. Now the new covenant has come and it is as superior over the old covenant as Jesus is superior over the former high priests.

As we return to Luke 12, we could sum it up in two words: be ready! Jesus focuses on the need to be ready to stand up for Him in the current age, and not to fear what others might do to us. He tells the disciples of the coming challenges, but He also offers promises of blessing to those who are found ready when their “Master” comes. As we read through the chapter, we see Jesus moves from topic to topic, but the common theme is readiness. Be ready!

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