|
 |
July
7
|
|
|
|
|
Reading
1 - 1Samuel 19
Click
here to Listen
|
v.1
-
Even at this relatively early stage, Saul's hatred of David is public. We
do well to consider the stresses of David's life - living with this constant
terror of death from so many quarters. It will give us a greater insight
into and understanding of many of the Psalms.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.7
- Jonathan had pleaded David's cause successfully on this occasion but the
result is that David returns to the potential danger of Saul's court as
he was before. Similarly as Jesus has pleaded our cause with his Father,
so we are returned to the company of those who through jealousy may wish
to do us harm - seeking which of us they might devour upon our own lusts.
There is much to be meditated on here.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.18
- This is the only mention of David coming to Samuel after his anointing
[1Samuel
16:13] So when
the spirit records [1Chronicles
9:22] That David
and Samuel ordained the singers did they do this on this occasion? We may
wonder how far David fled. Saul had his royal 'seat' at Gibeah so a glance
at a map will show the distance that David fled for his life.
Peter Forbes |
|
19:12
Here we see Michal at a window lowering her beloved husband down to save
his life. The next, and only other time we see Michal at a window is when
David brought the Ark to Zion. (2
Samuel 6:16). On that occasion she 'despised him' - her spirituality
had not grown in the 12 years or so between the two events. David's had.
So staying at home in luxury was not as beneficial as felling and struggling
in the wilderness wondering whether one would live or die.
Peter Forbes |
|
Notice
the repetitive 'fled and escaped' (:10,
12, 18, 20:1)
Peter Forbes |
|
PEACEMAKER
Jonathan was very fond of David. No doubt he was also fond of his father,
king Saul. So when Saul decided that David was going to be his enemy, and
that David needed to be killed, Jonathan stood in the gap to make peace
between the two of them. In some ways Jonathan's job was not as hard as
it could have been, because David was always prepared to live with and serve
Saul, even though Saul was not prepared to put up with David. But Saul's
intense hatred and jealousy of David made making peace a dangerous occupation
for Jonathan. Later Jonathan had a spear thrown at him for his efforts.
With the amount of disagreements, hatred and jealousy that goes on around
us, both in the world, and even within the church, we will all find ourselves
in a similar position to Jonathan. Maybe, like Jonathan, our attempt at
making peace will fail, but it is our duty to do our best. After all, a
special blessing is given to those who make peace. "Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will be called the Sons of God." (Matthew
5 v 9).
Jonathan's peacemaking tactic was to change Saul's thinking about David
from negative to positive. Jonathan "spoke well of David to Saul"
Let's try and do the same. By speaking well of each other may we become
peacemakers who earn a harvest of peace.
Robert
Prins |
|
|
Reading
2 - Isaiah 63
Click
here to Listen
|
v.8-10
- We see here that there are two extremes - either God is for us or against
us. We have plenty of example set us of what not to do!
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.8
- Here is a picture of those Jesus would save - those in whom there is no
guile - those who walk in the truth and do not lie - John
1:47, Eph 4:25, Col.3:9
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.16
- That Abraham did not know about those who had Yahweh as their father indicates
that those spoken of are some of the children of Abraham. Indicating that
Isaiah is here speaking of the promises to Abraham of seed as the dust of
the earth[Genesis
13:16].
Peter Forbes |
|
63:5
This is where we meet the culmination of the work of the 'man'. We met the
tabernacle in 4:6
and the man in 32:2
but there was 'no man' in 32:2
so now we learnt that the Lord brought salvation through the man - 'God
was in Christ' (2
Corinthians 5:19)
Peter Forbes |
|
:10
'rebelled
holy spirit' is quoted by Stephen (Acts
7:51) to confirm that the Jewish leaders who had crucified Jesus did
not understand the way that God worked in gaining salvation for mankind.
Peter Forbes |
|
|
Reading
3 - Matthew 8
Click
here to Listen
|
v.4
- One of many occasions when Jesus tells the person he has healed not to
tell anyone - a direct example of the outworking of his own recent words
in ch.6:1.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.2
- This is the first recorded miracle, at least in Matthew, which Jesus performed.
John [John
2:1 - 11] Says
that the turning of water to wine is the beginning of miracles that Jesus
performed. However the cleansing of a leper is particularly significant
given the way that leprosy is used as a pattern of sin at a general level
and a bar to fellowship with God.
Peter Forbes |
|
8:34
The response of the men of Gadara that Jesus should depart out of their
coasts (paralleled in Mark
5:17 Luke 8:37) marks the way in which the men of the area rejected
the mission of Jesus. SO the way that Jesus went out of his way to heal
the man is seen to be even more impressive.
Peter Forbes |
|
:14
The healing of Peter's mother in law took place on a Sabbath (Mark
1:29) - or so we might conclude because they had just come out of the
synagogue.
Peter Forbes |
|
| From
the last verse of chapter 7, right through this chapter, Jesus demonstrates
how he is now in complete charge over all creation. Firstly, in 7v28-29
he shows how his words are those of God, and that he has complete authority.
He heals people with a word in verse
16. He commands the wind and waves in verses
26-27. He casts out demons with a single word in verse
32, "go". In the next chapter he even forgives sins.
The Gentile
centurion is the only one who seems to understand what is going on. He
recognises the authority of the Christ, and likens it to his own command
over his hundred or so soldiers. All he had to say was "go",
and they would do it (v9).
He recognises by these words that Jesus was the man who had command over
life and death. We should see through this chapter quite how much had
been entrusted to Christ by his father. In 3v17
God had handed over rulership of His people to his son. Jesus could do
with this power as he saw fit. Isn't it wonderful that he chose to heal,
to forgive, to release men and women from bondage, and finally to lay
down his life for all of us?
Robin
de Jongh
|
|
