Samuel, Saul, shepherd boys, and Psalms!
What a week! There is so much packed into these seven days of reading. Fair warning: it's going to be like this for most weeks from now on. Once we moved past the laws and genealogies, the stage was set. Congrats on getting this far. Speaking of which, if you know someone who might be interested in joining in with us, now is an excellent time to hop on board. This week and the next few lay the foundation for the rest of the year.
Blessings, Steve
P.S. Special note at the bottom about violence.
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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf
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Obscure but important: Notice in this week's reading: the writer begins using phrases separating Judah from the rest of Israel. It's just two or three times, but it is important to note. It is at the end of the Judges period and the beginning of the Kings period that Judah and Israel are starting to be seen as two different groups. Even though they are still “one nation under God,” Judah is in the south and "Israel" is in the north. We see more of this as we get deeper into the history of God's chosen people.
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Samuel!
Moses and Samuel are the "bookends" on the Judges period of Israel's history. There was no nation before Moses became its Judge and, generations later, the nation was ruled by a King when Samuel stopped being the Judge. Samuel's story begins on April 8th and continues, mostly, through April 13th (though we will see Samuel, again, in a most unusual way a bit later). As God's chosen Prophet and Judge, Samuel had no equal in all of Israel. He served God, faithfully, his entire life.
Saul!
1 Samuel 9 and several following chapters, April 11th: "It started so well." <-- If asked, that's what I would have recommended they put on Saul's gravestone. He's handsome, tall, well-liked, and (this is the big one) he's God's chosen leader for the nation. They say "the devil's in the details." That was certainly the truth for Saul. By ignoring part of God's commands, repeatedly, he brought about his own downfall. First, he presumed to take on the priestly role of sacrificing the burnt offering to God. And later, he decided to retain what God had commanded him to destroy. And why? Because he wanted to look good in front of his people. His actions proved he was not a man after God's own heart. Still, even with all his faults, God kept Saul on the throne for 42 years! Plenty of time for Saul to repent had he wished to do so.
Shepherd Boys!
1 Samuel 16, April 13th: God sends Samuel to Bethlehem (later called "the city of David") for a meet-up with the sons of Jesse (himself, the grandson of Boaz & Ruth!). This is the place we find the phrase, "People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." David and his brothers play significant roles in this week's reading; shepherding, soldiering, and, in David's case, defeating the giant, Goliath (X-ref BR-12: a resident of Gath!). And, as we know (but Saul does not), David really is supposed to be Saul's successor on the throne. The most important part of David's story, this week, is on April 13th in 1 Samuel 16:13: "And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on." It's the first time scripture explicitly states that the Spirit came and stayed.
Psalms!
We are treated to Psalm 59 on April 14th and Psalm 34 on April 15th. Of course, reading the psalms at any time can be an edifying experience. There is a certain universality to them. But how interesting to read them aligned with the moments in history when David wrote them! When the histories are separated from the psalms, it is easy to forget that David was a poet and song writer, reflecting the tensions and joys of his life experience in the poetry he wrote. As much as we gain from reading them and applying them to our own lives, the insight we obtain into the person of David is priceless. When he wrote these two, his life was in chaos; he was actually in fear for his life as he penned these words.
VIOLENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
You’ve noticed it, right? All the violence? I had a note from one of you lamenting all the violence permeating our Old Testament reading ... and feeling very blessed to not have lived then (Thanks J!).
Sadly, violence was common in that world. Part of the story of God’s people is that He was shaping them to be different from the common world culture ... and violence was a part of that shaping. By that, I mean the process of the changing their hearts was gradual. Rather than try to outlaw violence, completely, God directed it, framed it, and limited it. He introduced “eye for an eye” as a better alternative to what was then the norm: “death for an eye.”
Blood vengeance was the common culture if someone was killed, even if it was an accident. God required they set up Cities of Refuge where those accused of a crime could reside in safety while awaiting judgement as to their innocence or guilt. Any Israelite who attempted to exact blood vengeance from someone residing in a City of Refuge was violating the Law of God. Rules for Capital punishment replaced blood vengeance. So, Capital Punishment (something they expected to exist) wasn’t eliminated; rather, someone had to be adjudicated guilty of a Capital Offense based on the “testimony of two” or more witnesses. That was new.
In Jesus, we find the fulfillment of the Law. He taught us to substitute love for such harsh judgments. It is the next step in the process of changing our hearts.
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