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August 3

Reading 1 - 2Samuel 20 & 21

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20 v.22 - This incident seems to be picked up in Ecclesiastes [7:9, 9:14-18]. The comments refer to a wise man rather than a wise woman, but otherwise fit very well. Verse 18 of Ecc.9 also seems to refer to Sheba the son of Bichri. The whole incident is used by Solomon to prove a point and to make us think about our own conduct and godliness.
Peter Cresswell
21 v.1 - It is clear that the judgement of the appropriateness of the killing of people in different situations lies with God, as indeed does all judgement. Despite the many people that David himself had killed, this punishment was for the work of Saul with the Gibeonites, which killing was not right. Although the law said 'Thou shalt not kill', it clearly was right to do so when the circumstances were such that God demanded it, but not otherwise.
Peter Cresswell

20 v.1 - The uprising of Bichri and then Adonijah [1 Kings 1:5] following hard on the upraising of Absalom provide an indication that David was now an old man who was viewed as one who could easily be overthrown. So why had he not anointed Solomon? Maybe he was hoping that Solomon was to be the son promised in 1 Chronicles 17 who would reign when David was dead. [2 Samuel 7:12] So if Solomon was not crowned until after David's death then, David maybe reasoned, the promise would be fulfilled in Solomon.

21 v.15 - David is about 70 years old at this point in the record. he has been very ill [Psalm 41:3] during the time of Absalom's uprising. So it hardly surprising that David 'waxed faint'.
Peter Forbes

20:1 This uprising from the tribe of Benjamin shows that till there is animosity between the house of David and the house of Saul. As we are near to the end of David's reign we must realise that this tension must have been a problem all through the reign of David.

21:12-13 So the bones remained in Jabesh Gilead for some 40 years! And David remembered where they were all that time. So why had they not been brought to the land of Benjamin earlier?
Peter Forbes

20:26 'chief ruler' is actually the word <03458> Cohen elsewhere translated 'priest' - see also 2 Samuel 8:18.

21:7 The fact that even though David has promised to honour the Gibeonite's request he still spared Mephibosheth indicates that promises like this one that David made are such that the one making the oath can be selective in how he keeps the vow. So as long as David was able to deliver seven of the house of Saul it would not matter who he spared. So David was able to keep his word to the Gibeonites without breaking his conscience regarding Jonathan.
Peter Forbes

Reading 2 - Jeremiah 24

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v.5 - Clearly Israel here is the fig tree, but the figs are the fruit. 'By their fruits you shall know them' [Matt.7:16-20]. There is still a chance for those even in Israel, which has been quite clearly cast off, to bring forth fruit unto righteousness. Another indication that the promises under the old covenant still stand. Jude v.10-19.
Peter Cresswell
v.6 - plant = to fasten, or fix, or establish. It has an idea of permanence about it, like a tree planted by the water, as it were. It refers especially to God's placing of the people in the promised land, and consequently to his choosing of us for His kingdom. Psa.44:2, Isa.5:2
Peter Cresswell
v.6 - bring ... plant echoes the song of Miriam and Moses [Exodus 15:17] when speaking of the destruction of the Egyptians. 'I will bring them' is a recurring message of Jeremiah, who spoke just before the exile and Ezekiel, who spoke to the captives. [Jeremiah 16:15 24:6 31:8 32:37 Ezekiel 20:38 34:13] Zechariah picks up the refrain, speaking to the returned exiles [Zechariah 8:8 10:6,10] in order to encourage them.
Peter Forbes
24:5-6 These words - suggesting that to yield to the Babylonians - would be construed as treason by the Jews. Yet is was the Word of God.
Peter Forbes
:10 The promise of this verse quotes Leviticus 26:25. The 'sword, famine, pestilence' also echoes Jeremiah 14:12 and is re stated again (Jeremiah 27:8)
Peter Forbes
THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM
It was one of the moments Jeremiah had been predicting and all Judah had been dreading and trying to wish away. Nebuchadnezzar had the upper had over Judah and carried away all the best of the people of the land in exile to Babylon. At that time it must have seemed like those taken captive had drawn the short straw. They had been taken away from their land, from their temple, their families, friends, houses and everything they knew to go into slavery in a land they did not know, speaking a language they did not understand. But in actual fact they had been given the better deal. God was to watch over them for good in Babylon, renew their lives and eventually bring them back to their land. Those that were left were to be persecuted and destroyed - although initially they must have thought they were better off.
Recently I too went through a very difficult time in my life. At the time I prayed that God would take the trials from me but he worked me through them. While I wondered why God put me through it all, I can now see that things were working for the best even in the bad times. From those bad times came these little comments. Things aren't always what they seem.
Robert Prins

Reading 3 - Romans 12

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Summary of the Book Old Testament References
v.9 - There is a clear attitude required here. We are not to tolerate evil. This brings about a cleaving to that which is good. The warning 'without dissimulation' warns us against the ones that convince us they are good when really they are evil. Psa.55:21, Prov.26:25, Eze.33:31, and of course Matt.26:49.
Peter Cresswell
v.13 - Whilst being hospitable is seen to be a requirement for those holding ecclesial office:- 1 Timothy 3:2 Titus 1:8, such an attitude was not to be confined to those in such positions. Rather it was to be a way of life amongst all believers. 1 Peter 4:9. However we all fall short of the ideal at some time. The exhortation about ecclesial officers indicates that they should be good examples in this area.
Peter Forbes
12:1 If we wonder how we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice Daniel 3:28 provides us with an example of men doing just that. Nebuchadnezzar recognised that those three men, in not bowing down to his image, had not yielded their bodies to him. Thus a living sacrifice is a life which is not compromised by the things of the world.
Peter Forbes
:1 So we return to the theme of being 'conformed' which we first noticed in 8:29. This activity is first an intellectual one - doctrine is understood - which then must have a practical outworking in the life of the believer.
Peter Forbes
ZEAL

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." (Romans 12 v 11)

Isn't it just amazing to watch those people who seem to be eternally enthusiastic? Nothing seems to get them down, they rise to the top of every mountain with a smile and a positive frame of mind, and then are ready for the next challenge life will bring. They are the type of people everyone feels good being around. This is what we should be like in our daily walk with the Lord.

"Never be lacking in zeal." In other words, always be enthusiastic. And what a hope we have to be enthusiastic about! We have an Awesome God, a Mighty Savior, the hope of immortality in perfection, and the chance to be at one with our Creator. How can we ever lose our zeal when we think of all the blessings God pours out on us, and the promises he has given us? There may be moments in our life when the trials, problems or pressures of this life take over, but when we put those temporary things in perspective with Gods eternal things, we can't help but to filled with zeal for the Lord.

"Keep your spiritual fervor." Never let it go. Work hard. Let's be keen and give the Lord all our heart, mind, soul and strength as we serve him every day and every moment of our lives.

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord"
Robert Prins
What a glorious freedom has just been presented to us in the last chapter! The hope of the gospel having been brought to the Gentiles, who previously had little or no access to it! Can you imagine the feeling of a prisoner, having been chained to the dank, cold, foul wall of his dungeon cell for most of his life, being set loose from his chains and immerging into the warmth and sunshine for the first time? This is the feeling we should have at baptism! No more bondage to sin, no more accountability for transgressing the law. No more feeling of guilt, or unworthiness. No more being afraid of a merciless judge who picks up on every fault, and punishes it. No more being reminded of our faults over and over again.

Do we think like that? Or do we carry on persecuting ourselves with guilt, even though we are a new creation? Do we feel free, or do we become prisoners of our own guilt again?

The prisoner upon emerging from his captivity, has a choice to make. Do I run headlong into my new life, relishing and wallowing in my new found freedom, sucking every ounce of marrow out of each and every day; or do I shrink from the sun, remembering every day the misery, the pain, and the cold of that prison cell? Do I put down roots and grow, reaching up to the sun and making the best of every day, or do I hide in the shadows and stunt my growth by fear of going back to that cell?

Paul has the answer to this in verse 1. "therefore, …. present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Having been made entirely free, there is only one way of capitalising on this freedom, and that is to try and return the great favour God has done for us, to Him. Before us lies a clean slate, a mind and a life given to us to fill with whatever we wish. It is our choice whether we fill that new mind with wonderful new things, or with the miserable old things. The new things are described by Paul in vs 4-18. The choice is to develop the new mind of Christ, or to go back to the pitiful old mind of the flesh. (12v2; Eph 4v22-24).
Robin de Jongh