Week 80, Day 1: David hears of Saul
Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-27
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
This chapter details for us how David finds out about the death of Saul and Jonathan. Even after all that David went through he still shows respect for Saul. Even though Saul persecuted him and tried repeatedly to return evil for good, David still showed remorse over his death. And David even avenged Saul’s death on the man who claimed to strike him dead. We know from the account earlier what actually happened was Saul killed himself but here is a man proclaiming that he struck Saul dead (lying about it all) but he had the evidence in his hands – Saul’s crown. This man claims to have struck down the Lord’s annointed and for this David deals out justice.
Question: How easy would it be for David to rejoice over Saul’s death? What kept David from exalting in the calamity that fell on Saul?
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Week 79, Day 5: In His Time
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 31:1-13
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The battle between the Philistine army and Israel’s army finally takes place. We have been leading up to this battle for several chapters now. Saul had been told by Samuel, through a medium, that he and his sons would be dead after this battle. Now it takes place that Saul and three of his sons are slain on the battlefield. Finally the day has come that God has removed David’s adversary. David had said that God would strike Saul at some point, but that he himself would not raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed – out of respect for his position. How many years this took is not easily determined. We sometimes sing a song about God taking care of things in His time. It is so hard for us to have this etched in our minds and heart when adversity comes or when we are faced with challenges in life. And yet here the day has finally come to punish Saul and remove the kingdom from his grip. It is sad to see that Jonathan, a good and just man is struck down with his father. We also have a hard time accepting when the good suffer with the wicked but here is a prime example of such an occasion. I wonder what it takes to reinforce in our minds that God is in control. That He will do what is right. That He is our only hope and refuge in this life, no matter what happens. And that things will work out for those who love the Lord, they will not happen according to our schedule but God will take care of us.
Question: What do you think we can do to help us remember to trust in God and not dispair or worry over things? How do we get ourselves to let go and accept God’s timing?
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Week 79, Day 3: David sent away
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 29:1-11
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The account of the pending battle now shifts from Saul and Israel’s perspective to the camp of the Philistines. The Philistine armies have gathered together and are preparing to go against Israel. King Achish brings David and his men with him. This is an interesting scene. David, the hero of Israel, is brought along with the enemy of Israel to fight against them. It is a very curious question to consider what David would have done in the battle. Would he have fought for or against Israel? I believe that he would have fought for Israel in the end. All along David has been setting out to fight against Judah’s enemies in the south. He has kept his activities and loyalty to Israel hidden from king Achish. And David has never actually said that he would fight for the Philistines. When Achish told him to come along, David had said that the king would, “you shall know what your servant can do” 28:2. They would see what David was capable of in the battle. This sounds to me like it leaves room for David to turn against the Philistines in the battle and show them his true allegiance to Israel.
But this is not to be. David is sent away by the rest of the Philistine lords. They rightly do not trust David and have not been enamoured of him as king Achish had. I am still impressed by how completely convinced king Achish was that David was his faithful servant.
Question: What song verse do the Philistine lords cite? What does this say about David’s reputation?
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Week 77, Day 5: David Flees
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 21:1-15
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
After Jonathan warned David to flee he goes to the tent of meeting. This passage has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Here David goes into the temple and request that bread be given him. The priest does not have anything except the showbread that was kept before the Lord and was only to be eaten by the priests (Lev 24:5-9). Why the priest went ahead and gave it to David is not clear. What David did in taking this bread broke God’s commands. This account is cited in the NT by Jesus when the Pharisees are attacking Him because His disciples were picking grain as they walked through a field (Matt 12:1-8). Here Jesus uses a person whom the Pharisees revere to make them think about their inconsistency. David clearly did something wrong by taking the consecrated bread and eating it and yet they esteemed him. Here Jesus and His disciples were not breaking the Sabbath by picking the grains as they walked and yet they condemned Him. The Pharisees refused to consider anything Jesus had to say.
Question: Why do you think David turned to the tent of meeting to seek out help?
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Week 77, Day 4: Jonathan’s aid
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 20:1-42
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Jonathan was not told about Saul’s attempts this time to kill David. David asserts to Jonathan that there is a death plot against him. Jonathan and David work out a plan to be able to gauge what is Saul’s intentions regarding David. Once this plan is executed there can be no doubt that Saul is past reasoning with and has set his mind on killing David.
At the feast Saul is so angry with Jonathan that he slings his spear at his own son. Saul has sunk to such a low. Going from a very lowly man who found it hard to believe that he was to be made king over Israel to this arrogant man consumed with maintaining his rule and the rule of his descendants. The phrase power corrupts absolutely seems to fit very well here.
Jonathan is true to his word and warns David to flee. Jonathan continues to prove to be a true friend to David.
Question: Why was there the need for Jonathan to come up with a hidden way to convey a message to David? Why could Jonathan not sneak away and just deliver a message?
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Week 77, Day 3: David’s escape
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 19:1-24
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Saul has decided to put David to death. It has now come to this. Saul views David with such suspicion and jealousy that he will now try to kill an innocent man. David is aided by both Jonathan and Michal. Jonathan tries directly to speak up on David’s behalf. Jonathan’s efforts suceed for a short time but then Saul again goes back to his plans to kill David. But Michal urges David to flee by night and escape the plans. She gives David time to get away by concealing his escape.
One thing in this account that is hard to understand is the household idol that is mentioned as being in David’s house. I wonder if this was David’s or perhaps was it someone else’s. In either case it was in his house. He was responsible for it. So this is a sad thing to find out about.
We are told of God’s protection over David while he is with Samuel. This protection would not be permanent. After this short period of time David would have to set out to flee. But God was always with David and helping him. The events that take place here with Samuel being made to prophecy are impressive. You would think that this wold cause Saul to reconsider his actions.
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Week 77, Day 2: The Rise of David
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 18:1-30
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
After David kills Goliath his fame begins to grow. But the attention that David gets is not just because David is so wonderful. It is as Saul notes, God is with David (vs. 14, 28). The life of David very quickly becomes complicated by Saul’s jealousy. Here David is trying to faithfully serve the king but Saul is secretly trying to kill him. Saul keeps sending David against the Philistines in hopes that they will kill David. Then you have the occasion where Saul tries to pin David to the wall with his spear. How David continued in his service after this is impressive.
David marries Saul’s youngest daughter, Michal. This could have been a very happy time for David but it only helps fuel the flames of jealousy in Saul. We are told that Saul became even more afraid of David after he married his daughter. It is impressive what jealousy can do for someone. Saul wanted to be the one receiving the honor from Israel and perceived David as a challenger to his throne. Had Saul been true to God he would have nothing to worry about.
Question: What kind of actions do you think of jealousy evoking in someone? How can we combat feelings of jealousy when they arise?
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Week 77, Day 1: Goliath
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 17:1-58
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Chapter 17 records one of the things that David is best known for. In one of the many conflicts between the Philistines and Israel, a champion comes forth from the Philistines who would have been extremely intimidating. Goliath appears to be a descendant of the giants who were reported by the 12 spies to be in the promise land. Many of these giants had already been slain in the taking of the lands but at least a few remained in the lands that were not taken yet. Goliath was massive. He had a man by his side just to carry his enormous shield. It is no wonder that for 40 days his challenges to Israel went unanswered. And then here comes David who is still considered to be but a youth. The exact age of David is not given but certainly he was not considered to be of a fighting age yet.
When David approached Goliath it is funny to picture things. A huge man and a young man coming up to him with a stick and a sling in hand. Goliath regarded this as an insult. “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” Such an array of things would be used to chase off some unwanted dog, not for normal combat. And yet because of his confidence in Jehovah, David was able to overcome his enemy. Impressive and encouraging.
Question: What lessons should we learn and keep from this account?
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Week 76, Day 5: Anointing a new King
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-23
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Samuel is sent to Bethlehem to anoint another king to replace Saul. Samuel goes under the disguise of only going to offer a sacrifice. While there he invites Jesse and his sons to the feast. It is interesting to see how we are told Samuel’s thoughts when he sees the oldest son, Eliab. But Samuel is told to not look at appearance or height. God does not see as man sees. He looks at the heart of the man. God does not care about what the next king looked like. He was looking for a man after His own heart.
David of course is selected and events soon begin to take place to progress David towards being the next king.
Question: Why did David find such great love and care from Saul? What do you think made David so well received?
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Week 73, Day 4: Ruth is redeemed
Today’s Reading: Ruth 4:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Boaz does not disappoint. He sets about quickly to settle things and redeem Ruth. He finds the close relative and 10 elders of the city to discuss the matter with. But he doesn’t just ask will the man take Ruth as a wife. Instead he begins by talking abou the field that Naomi owns. He says Naomi is going to sell it, will he redeem it. The man is agreeable at first until he finds out that Ruth is part of the package. It appears that he does not want to take the land and Ruth because whatever children are born would be raised up in the name of the deceased on his inheritance. So the child would have this land as his own and it would not become an extended part of the man’s own inheritance. Apparently he does not want to do this so he gives permission to Boaz to redeem the land and Ruth.
The end of this chapter tells us why Ruth’s life is so important to us. The Lord blesses Boaz with a child and the child becomes the father of Jesse and David. This Moabite woman has now become the mother of the great king of Israel.
Question: What indications have you seen in this book so far that would point to how Boaz’s household would serve God? How might this translate into the dedication we see David have toward God?
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