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July 31

Reading 1 - 2Samuel 17

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v.14 is the fulfilment of ch.15:31, where David asks God that Ahithophel's counsel be turned into foolishness. In fact what happens is that Ahithophel's counsel is described as good, but the people are persuaded by Hushai instead, thus causing Ahithophel's counsel to be ignored. The way God chooses to answer our prayers is always wise, but rarely the way we expected.
Peter Cresswell
v.3 - The subtility of the people was such that if David was killed, Ahithophel knew they would turn to Absalom, having a desperate need for a leader. This human desire to have to have people to lead us (as opposed to God) is a very sad one.
Peter Cresswell

v.4 - In coming to Mahanaim David had travelled some distance from Jerusalem.

So why did David travel so far? Jacob was at Mahanaim [Genesis 32:1] when his own brother was coming to meet him. Jacob thought that Esau would kill him. It seems that David was reflecting on this event in Jacob's life when the expected problem did not materialise.
Peter Forbes
We learn something of the rage of Ahithophel when we see how often he uses 'I will' (17:1 2 3)
Peter Forbes
:23 Ahithophel hanging himself is mirrored in the actions of Judas (Matthew 27:5) - another link between the Absalom uprising and the last few hours of Jesus' life.
Peter Forbes
2Sa 17:25 The information here is bewildering until we look at the relationships. Joab's mother, Zeruiah, was David's sister, making Joab David's cousin 1Ch 2:12-17. This accounts for the almost paranoic number of references to Zeruiah, it is very unusual to have a woman so prominent in histotical accounts, (1Sa 26:6, 2Sa 2:13, 18, 3:39, 8:16, 14:1, 16:9, 16:10, 17:25, 18:2, 19:21, 22, 21:17, 1Ki 2:5). David's many references to Zeruiah are the more telling if we read them as 'ye sons of my sister!' He seems to be blaming her offspring for most of his troubles. Amasa who here who takes Joab's place as Commander-in-Chief was son of a man who had a relationship with another of David's sisters, Nahash, Joab's aunt! Their daughter Abigail (this Abigail not Nabal's wife now David's) is then, Joabs first cousin, married now to his boss Amasa. That too won't have gone down well with Joab. Abigail in turn has a son she calls after the name of his father, Amasa 1Ch 2:17. This son Joab later slew (1Ki 2:5, 32). Family jealousies ran through this royal house. We must make sure it doesn't sour our relationships.
Derek Palmer

Reading 2 - Jeremiah 21

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v.8 - Of these 2 options, death was the better. The depth to which the people had fallen in their own wilful sins was quite outstanding. We need to know the way that God deals with people like this to remind us that mercy and grace are for those that worship God, not those that claim him as their God and then worship themselves. God reminds then of the language of the warning that he gave them right at the start - Deut.11:26, 30:15,19. See also Isa.1:19-20.
Peter Cresswell
v.7 - See how God is prepared to use their enemies to their hurt to make their fate worse than death.
Peter Cresswell
v.1-2 - Zedekiah should have known what God required of him. Jeremiah had repeatedly called for spiritual renewal as the only way in which God would repent of His plan to bring the Babylonians against him. How often are we like this! We know the will of God but persist in behaving as if by repeated asking He will change His mind. Beware lest ye 'ask amiss' [James 4:3]
Peter Forbes
21:5 Whereas God fought for Israel against Egypt (Exodus 6:6) with an outstretched arm to deliver Israel from the bondage of Egypt He is going to use the same power to punish Israel. This should have caused great concern - but it seems that it did not.
Peter Forbes
:7 'he shall … have mercy Deuteronomy 28:50 is another quotation from the curses. This is coupled with 'Behold … death' which is a quotation from Deuteronomy 30:19. So as Israel are about to go into captivity because they would not listen to the words of Deuteronomy Jeremiah quotes an exhortation from Chapter 30 which had been spoken to the nation just before they entered the land.
Peter Forbes

Reading 3 - Romans 7 & 8

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Summary of the Book Old Testament References
8 v. 4 - Here is the crux of it. We have these benefits, which are wonderful, and we do not deserve them, they are the gift of God, but only if we 'walk not after the flesh'. Gal.5:22-24, Jude v.24-25.
Peter Cresswell

Contrasts between Romans 6 & 7

newness of life Rom.6:4/Rom.7:6 newness of spirit
He that is dead is freed from sin Rom.6:7/Rom.7:3 is dead is freed from that law
Death hath no more dominion Rom.6:9/Rom.7:1 the law ... dominion
died unto sin once Rom.6:10/Rom.7:9 alive without the law once
Dead [indeed] unto sin Rom.6:11/Rom.7:4 dead to the law
alive unto God Rom.6:11/Rom.7:9 [I was] alive without the law
freed from sin Rom.6:18/Rom.7:3 free from that law

8 v.7 - Notice how 'enmity' passes into Biblical use Genesis 3:15 Ephesians 2:15,16 James 4:4
Peter Forbes

7:6 the phrase 'in the flesh' which is found in 8:5,13 as 'after the flesh' is to be contrasted with walking in the spirit Romans 8:1 and is seen elsewhere Romans 8:4 Galatians 5:16, 25. Walking in the spirit, therefore, is not some mystical activity. It is the way we 'walk; when we crucify the flesh - that is live after the pattern of Jesus' example. Walking in the spirit, therefore, is something we should choose to do, but it requires commitment on our part.

8:3 in saying that Jesus came in the 'likeness' of sinful flesh he is wishing s to see the identification with Adam. He is not talking about whether Jesus could have sinned or not. Clearly he could - else he could not have been tempted. The point being made is that Jesus, whilst sharing our likeness was able to reconcile us to God by being like Him.
Peter Forbes

7:6 'in newness of spirit' develops 'newness of life' (Romans 6:4). Romans 7 is continuing the reasoning started in Chapter 6 about the need to change our life style as a consequence of our new relationship with God through our baptism.

7:7-9 Paul's argument that the law makes one aware of what sin is answers the question as to why God gave Adam a commandment to keep. Adam needed to learn obedience and for that he required a law. We are the same. However our 'law' is not one of rules. Rather it is one of 'freedom' and service'. So rather than seeking what we can 'do' we should thing 'how can I please my Father?'

8:29 In saying we should be 'conformed' to the image of Jesus Paul sows the seed of the idea of transformation developed in Romans 12:1

8:18 'not worthy … in us' forms the basis of part of the 'faithful saying (2 Timothy 2:12) So Paul's letter takes on the clear status of Scripture in his own mind.
Peter Forbes

8v16-17 says that if we suffer with Christ, then we are the children of God. Why is this so?

Paul explains this very thing in Hebrews 12, when he is talking about Jesus and his struggle with sin. Here he phrases it slightly differently: "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons" (12v7). So is the suffering Paul refers to in Romans, the chastening referred to in Hebrews?

In 1Samuel 7v14 we have a prophecy of Jesus "I will be his father, and he shall be my son.... I will chasten him with the rod of men". This is picked up by Paul in Hebrews: "For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself" and then continues "for...you have not yet resised to bloodshed, striving against sin". Where did Jesus resist to bloodshed, striving against sin? In the garden of Gethsemane where his sweat came as great drops of blood! And what was the sin he was striving against? His own will (the will of the flesh) against the will of God.

This is exactly the context of Paul's argument in Romans 7v14-8v1, where he so eloquently describes the battle going on in himself between the lusts of the flesh and the desires of the spirit. Taking these passages together we can see that it is the chastening of God that develops this spiritual mindset. Without the chastening of God we simply do not develop it, and as Paul says in Hebrews 12v8 we are "illigitimate and not sons". It is not enough for us to read the word of God and expect it to develop the spiritual mind within us. It is only when through tribulation we struggle with the sinful desires we have within us, that we develop it, and can therefore be called sons and daughters of God.
Robin de Jongh