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July
24
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Reading
1 - 2Samuel 10
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here to Listen
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v.15
- Here is a warning. Even our enemies that we overcome may well rally round
and come back for more. We can never afford to be complacent in our war
against sin. But God will see us through if we commit ourselves wholly into
His hand. There is no record of a prayer here, but the attitude of Joab
is there in
v.12. This should
be our attitude too. Josh.1:9,
1Sam.14:6, Heb.13:6.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.1-5
- We have evidence here that our good intentions may be misunderstood by
those to whom they were directed. This is human nature and it should not
stop us from showing good intentions.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.6
- The Ammonites totally misjudge David's motive in abusing the servants
that David sent. However, to make matters worse when they realised what
they had done the did not seek to be reconciled to David. rather they made
matters worse by seeking to defend themselves. How often do we offend someone
and then try to defend and justify our actions rather than apologise and
be reconciled to our brother?
Peter Forbes |
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That
Hanun hired such a large army of mercenaries to add to his own forces (:6)
indicates the prowess of David and the army of Israel.
Peter Forbes |
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:11
Joab did not seem to consider the possibility that the Syrians would be
too strong for him and the Ammonites would also be too strong for Abishai!
Did he trust God or his and his brothers own strength?
Peter Forbes |
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Reading
2 - Jeremiah 14
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here to Listen
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v.14
- The prophets that prophecy lies are a feature of Jeremiah [here,
23:25-26, 27:10,14, 29:21, 37:19]. We have them too. Let us beware of them.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.15,16
- We see the desire of the godless to look for good news in the prediction
of the future - hence the great effectiveness of horoscopes today. Let us
realise that such are false prophets and a pursuit of the flesh and should
be avoided.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.21
- On two occasions Jesus speaks of the throne of his glory. [Matthew
19:28 25:31]
He is drawing on Old Testament language to speak of the throne of David.
[1
Samuel 2:8 Jeremiah 14:21]
Peter Forbes |
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14:16
We saw (in chapter 10) a use of Psalm
79. Here we have another quotation form the same Psalm. The prophet
returns to the dire circumstances of Israel and how they would be overthrown
and completely removed.
Peter Forbes |
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:12
The threat that Israel would be consumed by the 'sword' 'famine' and 'pestilence'
as well as being repeated in Jeremiah
21:7 is the message of a contemporary prophet (Ezekiel
5:12).
Peter Forbes |
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Reading
3 - Matthew 25
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here to Listen
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v.1-4
- The concept of a virgin is one of purity - unsullied by man, as it were,
but purity is not enough. It must be accompanied by wisdom, and the desire
to amass more wisdom than would appear necessary. The exhortation to us
is to immerse ourselves in the word and in prayer, that we might be ready
and watchful at all times. ch.24:42-51
is the pre-runner to this parable.
Peter Cresswell |
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The parables
Jesus told focus attention on preparation. Fascinating when we realise that
he has just given a detailed prophecy of the events of AD 70 and the 'end
of the age'. Whilst we would be concerned to know the finest details Jesus
is concerned that his disciples are prepared at a personal level for the
events. The lesson is clear. When the greatest prophet focuses on personal
preparation when speaking of future events we should do the same.
Peter Forbes |
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25:12
The response of Jesus to the foolish virgins is the same as how he described
(Matthew
7:23) his reaction to those who professed to serve him but did not.
Peter Forbes |
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:25
The man who hid his talent in the earth is given the words of Adam when
he hid in the garden of Eden after his sin 'I was afraid and I hid' (Genesis
3:10)
Peter Forbes |
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| I
have found the parable of the talents immensely useful in daily life, ever
since someone pointed me to verse
24. The excuse of the slothful servant was "I knew you to be a
hard man". He had based his life on this fact, and the surety that
if he lost the talent he had been given, then there would be "hell
to pay"! In contrast, there was hell to pay for not risking losing
it (v30).
So what was that shrewd servant doing wrong?
The question
is, was the master in fact a "hard man", as the servant believed?
The same can be said for the proverb "The lazy man says, "There
is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!"" (Prov
26v13). Was there in fact a lion in the road? We know from the recorded
ministry of Jesus that he was far from a "hard man". He was
a caring, loving, gentle, compassionate man, even though he had "all
power and authority" given to him by God. Jesus exercises that power
and authority now with the same compassion and love as he did then. He
is the absent master in the parable, and when he returns he will ask me
what I did with what he gave me. Knowing of his un-qualified forgiveness
makes me far less likely to bury that talent. I will more readily risk
losing it, by investing it so that it will bear fruit, through him. (John
15v5)
Robin
de Jongh
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