II Samuel 6

“They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place ... David sacrificed burnt offerings” (v17). King David’s first attempt to bring back the ark of God in a victorious, triumphant procession ended tragically (v1-8). The ark was not a symbol of national pride, nor was it a ‘good luck’ object that gave power to its possessor. The ark belonged to the Creator of heaven and earth, the Source of life. The second time, David led the people in worship (v14), and he also sac

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II Samuel 5

“You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler” (v2). Long years had passed since the prophet Samuel had anointed young David as king. He had been attacked by Saul and had become a fugitive, and he had lost friends. Now, with King Saul dead and David’s tribe of Judah growing stronger, “all Israel” came and surrendered to him, proclaiming him king. Just as in the birth of David’s descendent, the Messiah, God’s promise was fulfilled at the right time.

“T

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II Samuel 3-4

“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?” (3”34). As David began to emerge as the winner of Israel’s throne, he struggled to contain the revenge killing and lawlessness of the men on both sides. Just as Abner had feared (II Samuel 2), Joab had not forgiven him for the killing of his brother Asahel, and Joab eventually took his revenge. Then, Saul’s son Ishbosheth was murdered in his own bed, supposedly to “help” David’s side (4:8). But David rejected these acts of viole

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John 1:19-50

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (v29). John the Baptist looked at his cousin Jesus and saw not what was familiar and ordinary, but the Truth: the Savior of the world. John’s passion was to get everyone else to “see” Jesus clearly, and through his testimony, many did. Andrew, along with Peter, were two who believed John’s testimony and followed Jesus (v40).

“Come,” he replied, “and you wi

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John 1:1-18

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (v14). John’s gospel, instead of starting with Mary, Joseph, and the angels, tells about Jesus’ birth beginning with His identity as the Word of God. The One who became a baby was with God in the beginning; through this Word everything was made. He came to His own – His own people, His own creation – and mostly, He was rejected (v11). But those who received the humble, dusty, vulnerable Man as Lord became what He inten

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Psalm 49

“People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish” (v20). This psalm confronts our tendency to see wealth as the ultimate security and to admire those who have it. The psalmist reminds us that everyone dies, rich and poor alike, wise and foolish (v2,10,12). Those who “trust in themselves” forget that our days on earth are short, and neither the approval of others nor our possessions will count for anything after death (v16-18). 

“But God will re

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II Samuel 2

“Must the sword devour forever?” (v26). King Saul’s death caused a power struggle in Israel. Abner, Saul’s army captain, was loyal to Saul’s descendants, while Joab was David’s man. These experienced warriors, well-known to each other, met at the “pool of Gibeon” and ordered their young soldiers to fight “hand to hand” (v13). The challenge turned into a terrible bloodbath, with Abner reluctantly killing Joab’s brother Asahel. Suddenly, Abner faced the tragic reality of the

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II Samuel 1

“Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (v14). David discerned that the Amalekite who ‘helpfully’ killed King Saul had not honored him. By bringing Saul’s crown to David, he was angling for benefits in David’s future reign (v10). But David had steadfastly refused to advance his own position while King Saul lived, acknowledging that God alone raised up kings. He had remained loyal to Saul, and especially Jonathan, while refusing to take th

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I Samuel 31

“They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols” (v9). Saul’s death seemed like a great victory for the Philistines and their idols, and they displayed Saul’s corpse in triumph. It seemed that Israel’s God had abandoned them. Yet “valiant men” marched all night to recover “the bodies of Saul and his sons” to bury them with honor. Amid defeat, they remained f

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I Samuel 29-30

“Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley ...” (30:10). The Amalekites had kidnapped David’s family and others and burned their homebase in Ziklag. David and his men – distressed, and some bitter –  set out in pursuit (v6). However, two hundred lacked strength to go on and stayed with the supplies. When victory was accomplished, “troublemakers” wanted to exclude these exhausted men, but David declared: “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies i

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Luke 24:36-53

“Have you anything here to eat?” (v41). The idea of resurrection seemed impossible, too good to be true. The apostles at first couldn’t believe the women’s “idle tale” (v11). Even when Jesus showed himself, the disciples either didn’t recognize Him (v16) or thought they were seeing a ghost (“spirit”, v37). But the real Jesus was present, and they knew it when he ate bread and fish with them (v30, v42).

“Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself!” (v39). Jesus is no illus

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Luke 24:1-35

“The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise” (v6-7). Three times in this chapter, the perplexed (v4), unbelieving (v11), marveling (v12), sad (v17), and hopeless (v21) disciples were reminded that Jesus had said he would suffer, die, and rise on the third day. No one had truly expected the Messiah to die, let alone be resurrected. The disciples thought that Jesus had failed. 

“Did not the Messiah have to suffer t

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Psalm 48

“Walk around Zion... consider well her ramparts” (v12,13). The psalmist declares praise to the ends of the earth (v10) because the Lord is “known as a fortress” (v3). Like the mountain citadel of Jerusalem on Mount Zion, God is a secure place for His people, while causing “panic” and “trembling” among the enemy (v5-6). At the center of Mount Zion is the temple where the psalmist meditates on God’s “steadfast love” (v9). 

As God’s people, our confidence and security are foun

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1 Samuel 28

“When Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him ” (v6). Scripture is more than history. It is given to us to lead us to Christ, to keep us from sin and to correct us when needed. The picture we have of Saul warns us of the depths to which sin can take us. Jealousy and envy can destroy a king. Incidents can become patterns if we fail to accept correction. It was the heart of King Saul, filled with feelings against David, not God’s heart that hardened.

Correction

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1 Samuel 27

Then David said to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul…”  (v1). David has just experienced an incredibly emotionally exhausting encounter with King Saul but has spared Saul’s life. Emotional exhaustion in the healthiest person can lead to depression and depression to wrong perception. What David perceived as inevitable was wrong; it was Saul who would die. But David’s decisions based on his wrong perception put him and his men in danger for over a year

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