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July 28

Reading 1 - 2Samuel 14

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v.25 - Absalom (as son of David) contrasts here with Jesus (as Son of David). as Jesus' perfection was spiritual, whilst his outward appearance was not handsome (Isa.53:2).
Peter Cresswell
v.17,20 - David here is referred to as 'like an angel of God'. This observation is neither confirmed or denied, or even commented on, and yet it seems such a significant thing for her to say.
Peter Cresswell
v.21 - Joab saw Absalom to Jerusalem so that he could keep an eye on him. He saw him as a threat. However bringing him to Jerusalem created an environment in which he could plan his revolt.
Peter Forbes
We maybe wonder why Absalom was so appealing to David. Maybe there is a hint (14:26) when we learn that Absalom 'polled' his head. It is the same word 01548 used of the Nazarite (Numbers 6:9 etc)
Peter Forbes
:28-33 We know that Joab was a powerful and scheming man so the fact that Absalom stood up to him and got his own way indicates that Absalom also was a very powerful and scheming individual.
Peter Forbes

Reading 2 - Jeremiah 18

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v.6 - We, like Israel, are clay in the hand of the potter (Isa.64:8). We are the work of his hand. Let us remain malleable by being ever open-minded to the truth of God revealed to us in his word. Lam.4:2, Rom.9:21.
Peter Cresswell
The older I get the more I realise the absolute importance of the statement I made above 2 years ago. We must never, as we see so many do, become hardened so as not to be receptive to new knowledge and wisdom which might extend our understanding of and our interaction with God and his Word. We all see those who grow old and also grow inflexible - unable to accept that new ideas and innovations could have merit. Let us pray that we never stop being malleable in God's hands.
Peter Cresswell
v.18 - Jeremiah received no thanks for his willingness to speak the word of God. Rather they sought his life. Spare a thought for his loneliness in his task and then reflect on how easy it is for us to speak the Gospel message.
Peter Forbes
18:1-10 The incident at the potter was designed to teach Jeremiah (see 'I will cause thee') and then is extended to the whole nation (:6 'O house of Israel) So Jeremiah learnt that God can mould the clay as He wishes. Then he is to go and tell Judah (:11) that God is going to bring evil upon them.
Peter Forbes
:11 The exhortation to repentance voiced by Jeremiah 'return … good' is quoted by Zechariah (1:4) to a nation who had not learnt the lesson of the exile.
Peter Forbes

Reading 3 - Romans 1 & 2

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Summary of the Book Old Testament References
2 v.1,2 - We are given many such warnings against judging each other, and yet we ignore them daily in our thoughts about our fellow men. We must obtain grace to cover these things. God's forgiveness is amazing. Let us heed v.3, and recognise that even Jesus would not judge Luke 12:14.
Peter Cresswell

1 v.3 - That Jesus was 'of the seed of David according to the flesh' marks his human origins. But more than that it draws on the fact that Jesus was the rightful heir to David's throne. This is demonstrated in the genealogies in Matthew and Luke. That he is 'declared to be the son of God' v4 links with the divine origin of Jesus. These two simple phrases provide the authority for showing Jews that Jesus is, to use the language of Hebrews 'better than' the law of Moses. An important point when writing to the ecclesia in Rome where there were many Jewish believers.

2 v.5 - Notice that hard heartedness is first seen in Pharaoh Exodus 4:21 7:3,13 8:15,32 9:12,34 10:1,20,27 11:10 14:4,8. So when it is used to speak of how Israel behaved the message is very pointed. You are being like the oppressing Egyptians from whom you have been delivered. Deuteronomy 15:7 2 Chronicles 36:13 Psalm 95:8 Isaiah 63:17 Mark 10:5 16:14 John 12:40
Peter Forbes
1:16 Are we 'ashamed' of the gospel? How do we feel about acknowledging that we are 'in Christ' - Paul was 'not ashamed' because it is the means of his salvation.

2:29 having a circumcised heart is not a doctrine which started with Jesus. We find it extensively in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 10:16 30:6 Jeremiah 4:4 showing that it is the way that a man thinks that God is interested in.
Peter Forbes

1:32 In speaking of some who 'have pleasure in them that do them' Paul, quoting Psalm 50:8, is not simply speaking of individuals who sin. Rather the focus is on those who see some virtue in sin. Rather like those he will speak of later who say 'shall we continue in sin ...' (Romans 6:1)

1:4 'Declared' draws on Psalm 2:7 where God 'set' - Hebrews Anointed' Jesus as king after his resurrection.

2:24 In quoting Isaiah 52:5 Paul shows that Israel had a history of a corrupt life style which had the effect of causing gentiles, rather than to glorify God because of what they saw, to count the things of God to be derided. What do our friends, neighbours, family or work colleagues think about God when they see our behaviour?

2:4 'Longsuffering' quotes an attribute of Yahweh seen Exodus 34:6. The point being is that God's mercy should not be used as a basis for 'continuing in sin' rather it should cause speedy repentance.
Peter Forbes

GETTING TOGETHER

Almost throughout the whole book of Acts Paul had longed to get to Rome to meet with the believers there and to preach the word. As he wrote to them he expressed his desire to come to them. What we need to take notice of is not just his desire to meet with the believers in Rome, but the reason he wanted to see them. He said, "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith."

We should have the same aims as Paul for the times when we get together with other believers. Before we get together with other believers next time, let us think about what we can do to give them a spiritual gift - some way we can enhance their life in Christ. As well as that, let's decide on some way we can make each other stronger. Let's get together and mutually encourage each other so that we can all become stronger people for our Lord. When we get together let's get together for a purpose and when we leave, let's leave as stronger people standing firm for Christ.
Robert Prins
In verse 1, Paul states his credentials as a servant of Christ. Paul was carrying on the ministry of Christ, by his direction from heaven, which was now to go to the gentile nations and preach the good news. As if there's a repeating record, Paul comes up against exactly the same problem as Jesus, namely that men were trusting in their own ability to keep the law, and thereby gain salvation. Gentiles were wanting to become Jews! The nub of Paul's argument in these two chapters could be said to be in 2v17-24.

Paul launches into a scathing reproach of the nation of Israel, explaining how they had been supplied with all the knowledge of God they needed, yet chose to serve an image instead. (1v25) and how they would be judged for their evil (1v26-32). But what was the image they were serving? Verse 23 says "like corruptible man", and v25 "served...the creature rather than the Creator". Chapter 2v8 "those who are SELF seeking". They were serving themselves! The image they were worshipping was themselves!

Throughout the history of Israel this had been obvious, because of the long list of selfish and abhorrent practices listed in v26-31 (echoed in Eze 16) which they did to gratify their own desires. More difficult it was in the time of Christ, because although they had stopped these practices by and large, they had replaced them with pride, arrogance, selfishness, self sufficiency, hypocrisy, and judgmentality. These were the things Jesus condemned the Pharisees and rulers for, and were now the things that were set to take hold on the early church. The apostle Paul had a struggle on his hands.
Robin de Jongh