May 29th One Year Bible Readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
2 Samuel 14:1-15:22 ~ John 18:1-24
Psalm 119:97-112 ~ Proverbs 16:8-9

Old Testament - Well..  this is a tough couple of chapters to read today!  On one hand we see David showing much grace to Absalom and meanwhile Absalom is plotting to rebel against his father and then does so!  At first glance it makes me wonder what on earth was David thinking?  Why did he bring Absalom back to Jerusalem?  But, I believe David was doing the right thing.  Absalom was his son.  David was trying to restore that relationship.  I think about this with people in my life who have maybe "stung" me in some way.  On the one hand I want to write them off - believing that they will sting me again.  And maybe they will...  but, I don't think writing people off is healthy ultimately for me and I don't think it is the right thing to do.  I think showing grace, forgiveness and compassion is the right thing to do.  I think David did this - and then he wisely got out of town when he realized Absalom was up to no good!  So, he didn't completely let Absalom walk all over him.  He still used wisdom.  I don't know...  this is a tough couple of chapters.  What do you think?  Did David do the right thing by bringing Absalom back to Jerusalem?  Do you see any parallels in your life where someone has stung you - and then perhaps stung you again?  Was it still maybe the right thing to do to show them grace and forgiveness?  And maybe even to do so again?  Below is twentieth century Russian painter Marc Chagall's "David and Absalom" from today's readings in 2 Samuel 14:33 - "So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom."

Bible.org's commentary on today's Second Samuel readings titled "Absalom" is at this link.

New Testament - Sad to see this parallel... David was betrayed by Absalom in today's readings and Jesus was betrayed by Judas...  David kissed Absalom, his betrayer.  Judas kissed Jesus to betray Him.  Seems that betrayal has been a part of our human condition for maybe all time?  Well, since the Fall to be sure, which is pretty much all time for us humans...  (you'll recall just after the Fall Cain murdered Abel - yet another betrayal... )  Do betrayals continue today?  Why do you think this is?  What can free us from betraying each other?  Or should I ask Whom can free us from betraying each other?  Below is the nineteenth century "The Judas Kiss" by French artist Gustave Dore:

Bible.org's commentary on today's John readings titled "Jesus, Lord at Thy Death" is at this link and "Did Jesus take the Fifth Amendment?" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 119 verse 105 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." Do you believe God's Word, the Bible, is a lamp for your feet?  A light for your path?  To help put this in perspective - without God's Word, the Bible, is it possible that we would have no lamp for our feet?   No light for our paths?  That we'd essentially be groping in the darkness without God's Word, the Bible?

Verse 111 wow...  "Your decrees are my treasure; they are truly my heart's delight."  What is your treasure?  Where is your treasure?  Is God's Word, the Bible, truly your heart's delight?

Proverbs - Proverbs 16 verse 9 is one of those seemingly simple Proverbs, that I think has a lot more depth to it than first glance: "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps."  Do you think this is true?  We make our plans - but God determines our steps.  Do you see this to be true in your own life?  Have you made plans before, but then seen your steps somehow be guided in perhaps a different direction - perhaps a more godly direction?  And then do you realize that it was God determining your steps?  I have experienced this in my life - thankfully.  I have made some interesting (i.e. bad) plans in my life in the past - and probably am still making some bad plans even today.  But, I am trying to pray regularly to God to "lead me."  I want God to determine my steps - and truly, I want God to determine my plans as well.  But, if God's plan is not immediately clear for my life, I do believe he gives wisdom to discern direction - and then ultimately I believe God will determine our steps.  Thank goodness!

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:   What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[A]

consequences of sin...David though forgiven had to bear painful consequences of his sins...it makes me wonder sometimes when he go through what we sometimes call wilderness experience,challenges...etc...could it not simply be that we're getting what we had sowed in the past?True God turns out everything for our good if we love him...but sometimes suffering makes us bitter and at war with God forgetting who the real enemy is.

[R]

2 Samuel 14:1-15:22

As a shepherd, there is one thing that David knew, protect the sheep. As king of Israel standing as the chief shepherd to God’s people, was David protecting the sheep of God’s pasture by bringing Absalom back to Jerusalem? Mike, I am going in the opposite direction that you have taken regarding the restoration of Absalom. And my premise is this: You cannot make peace with someone who has war in their heart I don’t care what the relationship is or with whom.

Clearly Absalom continued holding a grudge against his father (Hindsight is always 20/20), and David was operating out of his emotions and sentiment grieving for Absalom, not based on a godly or biblical principal. In the pattern of sacrificial offerings, there is a clear outline of the way to godly reconciliation/forgiveness and it is not by presenting a “Fellowship” offering first. What is offered up first is the Whole Burnt offering, and then the Sin offering, after that the Thanksgiving and Fellowship offering can then be presented. The pattern for establishing intimacy with people can be found in how God directs us to establish intimacy/restoration with Him. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. Nothing like that was ever initiated by Absalom. Or if it was, then the “sacrifice” was one only in act and not heartfelt.

David’s relationship with Absalom was never broken David was always his father. What was broken or what needed to be established was their fellowship. Was there really ever any fellowship, true fellowship and intimacy with his children outside of Solomon?

Yesterday I spoke of the elephant being in the room and no one acknowledging it or speaking of it. What David did was to bring the elephant back into the room and that room was probably already crowded with a lot more of them all he did was increase the size of the heard.

Internal sores/abscesses must me lanced no matter how painful the procedure. When we leave them to fester inside the body, we cause more problems, possibly death, then if they were attended to. You can’t heal a would by saying its not there it must be attended too and that was not followed. Because Absalom could gather together an army of co-conspirators, including Bathsheba’ grandfather, shows how the internal wound festered inside the body of Israel.

If the son was to be brought back then the reason why he killed and ran should have been addressed with all the pain that would bring.

If a man willfully sheds the blood of a person [and keeps the guilt of murder upon his conscience], he is fleeing to the pit (the grave) and hastening to his own destruction; let no man stop him! (Proverbs 28:17 AMP)

[A]

"Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, 16but Peter had to wait outside at the door."
I can't help thinking...(Bob Deffingbaugh thinks this disciple is John as do a few other commentaries I read)this disciple if known to the high priest then it must have been common knowledge that he was a follower of Jesus who followed to the end inspite of the trouble ahead.He didn't seek to save his life,he just followed.He may have not understood why his teacher had to go through this but in his heart the vow"for better for worse"was engraved.In the gospel of John,love is often mentioned...this must have been a man after Jesus heart....

[Romayne]

Mike asked: "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." Do you think this is true? We make our plans - but God determines our steps. Do you see this to be true in your own life? Have you made plans before, but then seen your steps somehow be guided in perhaps a different direction - perhaps a more godly direction?"

I have to say I can FULLY testify to this - after my husband died in 1998, and the Lord provided me with an awesome renewed relationship with Himself, I was led by incredible 'coincidences' along a path I could never have conceived for myself, but yet desired from the minute He planted the notion in my mind. From my experiences I can state that in my view, He provides us with the ideas that are in line with His Will for us, then we still have the choice as to whether or not to more forward into that Plan - if we are faithful in doing so, then he leads us through it, and we can move willingly. I used to think in my younger years that following God meant all sorts of dreadful things like being asked to give up my desires, or heading off to deepest darkest Africa to be a missionary, and I was actually quite fearful of that happening to the point that I often refused to really submit to His Will just in case. However, what He taught me through 2001-2003 is that His Will is perfect and so much better for me than anything I can conceive for myself, and so while I can contemplate plans and goals for my life, only those that He has ordained in His Will are going to be of value, but ultimately he will also provide me the joy in being obedient to Him. If I'd time/energy I'd have loved to share just how awesome those 2 years were for me, but suffice to say He provided for me to achieve something that nobody including myself thought remotely possible, but as I say, the most important thing for me was discovering how to truly hear His Voice and better understand what He wanted for me. I would urge everyone reading this to never fear His Will, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2Tim 1:7.

Blessings to all, and thank you for your wonderful insights. I'm more often a 'lurker' at times, but that's only because typing is painful for me, and I wait until I really have something I want to share, before joining you all :)).

[Sue]

David

Nathan gives him a parable about the rich man and the poor man.

Joab sends the woman from Tekoa to give him a parable about her son.

I would think it would be humiliating for David when he recognized himself in those scenarios, particularly when he was so indignant in both cases about people he did not know, but had to acknowledge his own culpability.
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The MacArthur Study Bible indicates Ahithophel (Bathsheba's grandfather) instigated Absalom's rebellion and that his counsel to David was like "an oracle of God."
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I cannot help but think Absalom felt very entitled, much like a middle child in a family who was "not the first and not the last," so he felt overlooked because of his constellation in the family.

Something about Absalom bowing to David, his father, the king...was that a form of respect, or was it required, or was he grateful to finally have an audience with David, who then kissed him. We are not told if this was a kiss that expressed forgiveness, greeting, and we can really only speculate as to the significance.

Add to that, Absalom was manipulative (got what he wanted by strong-arming Joab into coming to see him), extremely handsome, and obviously people saw him as having "kingly attributes," much as Saul was viewed.

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John and Ramona, I think the "jury is still out" with regard to Absalom's lack of repentance. David clearly was an overly permissive parent.

[Jo Anne]

Regarding the Absalom/David incident...I see a manipulated reconciliation by Joab. Then another by Absalom with Joab. I am learning that nothing good happens from manipulating people or circumstances to get a desired response. Never happens. It always falls apart.

[carol]

Wow, these passages really rung true for me today as well as the commentary that followed...I am burying my father this afternoon...lots of pain between family...I've cut myself off from them because I have been "stung" so many times...I need to continue praying for Gods infinite wisdom and direction to complete the healing process and find closure for the situation with my family that causes me such great pain.

Thank you for what you do...how you write and take the time to do God's work...

Blessings - Carol

[Dottie]

I love what this is talking about! I believe that God, also stands for Good Orderly Direction! He has been the one who guides my steps daily! I can't even begin to think about how many times I have tried to go one direction and before I realized it, I was in an entirrely different place! I trust Him explicitly and if He changes my direction, I humbly and gladly follow His lead. Things go much smoother and things turn our so much better.
I have been betrayed in the past and cut right through the heart! I was so devastated when my husband of 11 years suddenly left with another woman after we had been serving God and our church all that time. I cried out to God because I didn't know where to turn, who to talk too, or what to do. The funny thing that happened is He told me to wait upon Him, tust in Him, and rest in Him. I felt such a peace come over me. Two weeks later, about; He showed me some of the why of what had happened. To make a long story short, God revealed many things to me my husband was doing and God didn't want me to be joined with him in his sin. Now I am more happy then I have ever been and my life is blessed. I am still single and God is my husband! I lack nothing in my life. I am satisfied.