Bible in a Year Blog

1 Samuel 20:1-21:15 + John 9:1-41 + Psalm 113:1-114:8 + Proverbs 15:15-17
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~

Old Testament – Great readings about Jonathan & David today!  1 Samuel 20 verse 13 today seems to indicate that Jonathan realizes that David will be the king after his father Saul: “May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father.”  Verse 17 is beautiful – “For Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.”  Who are people in your life that you love as much as you love yourself?  Do you think that there should be people in your life that you love as much as you love yourself?  Do you love Jesus as much as you love yourself?  Do you think that God loves you as much as He loves Himself?

Below is the artist Rembrandt’s take on Jonathan & David from possibly verse 41:  “Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.”

In First Samuel 21 as David is fleeing from Saul, we read verse 6 which Jesus refers to in the New Testament – “So, since there was no other food available, the priest gave David the holy bread–the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the LORD in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.”  Jesus uses this incident to illustrate the principle that the ceremonial law was not to be viewed in a legalistic manner in Matthew chapter 12 verses 3 & 4 – “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.”  I love verse 13!  David is definitely a good actor – “So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.”

Bible.org’s commentary on our First Samuel readings today titled “When Saul Slings His Spear, Jonathan Gets the Point” is at this link and “A Man Without a Country” is at this link.

New Testament – Jesus’ teaching in John chapter 9 verse 3 is powerful – “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.”  Wow.  He was born blind so that God’s power could be seen in him.  I wonder about this in our lives today.  When we have challenges or struggles, is it possible that they are happening so that the power of God can been seen?  I know this can be tough to fathom when you are in the midst of a challenge or struggle – or, if you are blind for example, like this man in John 9.  But…  no matter what life throws our way, do you think that God’s power can be seen in any circumstance?  Below is Cretan-born painter El Greco’s “Christ Healing the Blind Man” from the year 1567:

Verse 27 is great when the healed man says – “”Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?””   Hmmm…. Verses 39 through 40 are a dialogue that each one of us should reflect upon – “Then Jesus told him, “I have come to judge the world. I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”  The Pharisees who were standing there heard him and asked, “Are you saying we are blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”  How are we behaving today?  Are we allowing Jesus to give us spiritual sight?  Or do we think we can see well enough spiritually without Jesus?  Without Jesus, can we see or are we blind…?  Will we allow Jesus to heal us of our spiritual blindness right now?

Bible.org’s commentary on today’s John readings titled “The Light of the World” is at this link.

Psalms – Psalm 113 & 114 today are very interesting and important Psalms!  These are 2 of 6 Psalms, 113 to 118, that form the “Egyptian Hallel.”  These Psalms were used in Jewish liturgy at the great religious festivals of Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication, Weeks, New Moon.  At Passover Psalm 113 & 114 were sung before the meal and Psalms 115 – 118 were sung after the meal.  As you read these two Psalms today, do you sense joy in the Lord’s work?  Justice?  Glory?  Power?  Does reading these two Psalms make you want to celebrate and give thanks for the Lord and all he has done throughout history and in your life?

Proverbs – Proverbs 15 verses 16 & 17 today are so powerfully true – “It is better to have little with fear for the LORD than to have great treasure with turmoil. A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.”  However, what then do we do about a steak soup combo??  (sorry, couldn’t resist a bad attempt at humor…  thanks to this image below… 🙂 

Worship Video: Today’s reading in John about Jesus healing a man born blind reminded me of Phil Wickham’s song “Safe:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzhuirT74VU

Are you safe in His arms? Click here for Safety!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” Proverbs 15:16-17 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you will be content with little in your life, as long as you have the wealth of a relationship with the LORD. Pray that your meals are filled with more love than with fancy foods.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Do you agree with today’s Proverb that it is better to have just a little and fear the Lord versus having much and much turmoil?  Also, 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

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )

======= Anka:

This is a pretty long post..

David,a man after God’s own heart was painfully human.He lied and is about to get the priest into trouble(I’m sure Saul’s shepherd wasn’t eavedropping just out of curiosity)then David acts like a lunatic to save his life.I couldn’t help wondering,was this idea of acting inspired by God?David his annointed was really not behaving like a king.At the same time,I can’t help wondering how Jesus’s disciples felt seeing their master beaten,spat on then hung naked to die on a cross.Where was all the power that Jesus displayed and spoke about?It may be easy for us to believe without having seen Jesus humiliated.Even though there’s a controversy surrounding the movie The passion of Christ,I think every Christian should see it because it shows a vivid picture of how Christ truly suffered and was humiliated.The amazing thing is God was watching and even through this suffering and rejction,He still was working.David may have been discouraged yet when his life was saved,he attributed it all to God(psalms 34,56).I pray for the strength to look up to God when in trouble.David ran from Samuel in Ramath to Jonathan who was near Saul.In times of pain and confusion we sometimes even loose our ability to think clearly.Running to our enemy(negative thoughts,alcohol,drugs…the enemies arms)rather than remain on our knees in prayer.

The Jews seemed to want the blind man to doubt his testimony.He didn’t know Jesus but believed the devil couldn’t have set him free.The blind man didn’t think Jesus used his own powers,he replied to them “he is a prophet”and when they tried to get him to think Jesus was a sinner,he hung to his miracle…he may have thought”well I don’t know how Jesus stands before God,but I know God worked through him to give me a miracle and I know God doesn’t answer sinners”.

This man couldn’t care less if he was thrown out of the synagoge,there was an element of defiance in his reply”I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”He wasn’t going to change his testiomny nor was he going to accept to smear the character of the man he received his miracle from.When asked by Jesus if he knew the son of man,this former begger didn’t say no,he wanted to know who Jesus really was then worshipped Him when Jesus revealed himself.

We may falter in our faith due to discouragement but we should never let go of our convictions.At the end of the day what satan tries to do is attack our knowledge of who God really is.When we go through humilitaion,doubt,despair,satan comes to attack our relationship with a “well if God is love,how can he let this happen to you,if God takes care of your needs then why do you have to count pennies,if God is a father then how could he let your child die,if you’re created in God’s image,then why do you have a disability?”etc.The trick is I guess keep walking,crawl if you have to but never let go of your convictions…if you feel those convictions slip away,then stick to God’s word.I humbly believe it is for times like these that God had put the desire in Mike’s heart to start this blog so you can see wounded soliers cling to their swords(the word) and you can see that God is still present in our days.He still is in the business of getting us out of the enemies arms if we cry out.

God bless you all!
Anka

======== Ramona:

1 Samuel 20-21:15

Anka—Thank you for your wonderful words. Words that not only cause us to think but words that inspire and encourage.

In thinking about what you wrote, Anka, the question comes up, “What and whom did David fear? We lie and operate out of deception because we fear for our lives, our reputation or falling out of favor with man, and maybe God. We fear that our true selves with be revealed if we tell the truth. Truth is confrontational, especially the truth about ourselves. The question what information and from whom are we believing. Back in the Garden Adam and Eve hid after they sinned because their eyes were opened. When God asked them, “Where are you,” He wasn’t asking them logistical information He knew where they were. He was asking them because He knew where they where but did they truly know their standing and how far they had fallen God’s response to them when they said they were naked so they hid was, “Who told you?” What and whose information was David believing about himself, about Saul and about His God?

David thought Saul would kill him despite the Word of the Lord he had heard from Samuel, despite the acknowledgement and confirmation of the Word from his friend Jonathan. Was there something going on in David’s life that made him forget that Promise or did he, like many of us, negate the promise because of a feeling of inferiority, of some false guilt, of a sense that God is not able to bring what He has promised to pass?

When “running for our lives,” do we run to our enemies, as Anka has noted, or do we run to the Rock that is higher than ourselves.

Thank God for his mercy and grace when we miss it by more than a mile or kilometer.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

====== Shelley:

Really enjoying reading this blog and all the food for thought. I haven’t much new to add to what already has been said. I also enjoyed Ps 113:6 where is says that God humbleth Himself to behold the things in heaven! I have no idea of the greatness of God. WOW! or should I say “Selah” Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the rest of us.

Shelley

====== Jan:

======= Jim:

On the run, David asks a priest for a weapon and temple food and then act as if mad (which was assumed at the time to signify demonic possession) to escape after foolishly taking Goliath’s sword with him to hide in Goliath’s home town. Jesus will later commend the priest’s actions as an illustration of the principle underlying His own healing on the Sabbath (Matt 12:3-4, Mark 2:23-28) that the moral obligation to preserve and enrich human life supersedes ceremonial obligations. David lied to Ahimelech about being on a secret mission for the king (and perhaps about his men not having been with women for 3 days) – this lie (and the foolishness in thinking that Deog would not tell the king) will precipitate a great tragedy for all the priest of Nob (22:6-19). The Talmud explains away the apparent breach of the law of eating the holy bread, however, on the basis that the preservation of life takes precedent over nearly all other commandments in the Law (see Leviticus 24:9). We have seen many negative consequences of Saul’s poor behavior. Today he tries to get his own son to help in killing David and ends up being violent towards Jonathan himself.
We can always see spiritual truth if we are strong enough to accept it. Jesus heals a blind man that the Pharisees badger while refusing Christ as a messenger of God. The ex-blind man asks them directly what the Pharisees are trying to hide, how could Jesus do such miracles if He were not from God? Jesus summarizes that only the blind are innocent – but the Pharisees are not blind. The miracle and attitude is replicated in every spiritual birth: “though I was blind, now I see.” The Pharisees’ sin was not ignorance of what Christ was saying or of whom He was, but that of seeing and knowing Christ and still hating Him. Their rejection of Jesus was deliberate, so they were guilty of the most terrible of all sins.
Sodom and Gomorrah were not even Jewish towns and Christ said in Matthew 10:15, “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” Not only does this suggest that the punishment for unbelievers (such as those who didn’t believe Noah that Christ visited in death) might be tolerable but that there is a worse sin with a less tolerable punishment than theirs. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.” And since the only people that can know the Holy Spirit to speak blasphemy against Him are Judo-Christians, are they the only ones who can fail to be forgiven with a guaranteed trip to Hell (and not simple God-blasphemying atheists or Jesus-blasphemying cultists)? The greatest punishment “in this world and the next” is for the greatest sin of having eyes but refusing to see. As Spiderman’s dad tells him, with greater power comes greater responsibility (and greater consequences).
Popular wisdom of the time was that sickness was always a punishment for sin, perhaps for those one will commit or even ancestral sins, but Jesus says that the blind man’s disability was so that the works of God could be known (see Romans 8:28). This is something to remember the next time we’re asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Christ’s disciples, though, seemed more moved by theological curiosity that by concern over the man’s condition. Christ answers that we should use every opportunity to help others. We should not just come to Christ to see reality but to experience it as well (just as the “happy mother of children” in Psalm 113:9 knows both the value of fruitfulness as well as the simple joy of having children). Schnarch (the most respected marriage counselor of the past few decades) has shown that failed communications, missing empathy, and even sexual perversions are not the causes of relationship gridlocks. Everyone most certainly knows what everyone else wants (for one thing, because we all essentially want the same things). The problem is that we simply refuse to accommodate win-win outcomes because of a fear of being powerless and the need to use others as validation. The root of failing spiritual maturity is never about seeing better but in unhealthy behavior and insufficient remorse.
Celebrants of the Passover today normally read or sing Psalms 113-114 before the meal as part of the retelling of the story of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Psalm 113 focuses the worshiper on the grace of the merciful redeemer who bends down from heaven to meet the needs of his people and Psalm 114 recalls the reason for the Passover celebration – Israel’s deliverance from Egypt in specific and the earth trembling before the almighty Lord in general. They are a wonderful companion to the songs of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15. After the Passover meal, Psalms 115-118, and 136 are sung.
Jim

======= Vance:

I Samuel 20 (The Message)
13
And GOD be with you as he’s been with my father!
14
If I make it through this alive, continue to be my covenant friend. And if I die,
15-16
keep the covenant friendship with my family–forever. And when GOD finally rids the earth of David’s enemies, stay loyal to Jonathan!”
17
Jonathan repeated his pledge of love and friendship for David. He loved David more than his own soul!
42
Jonathan said, “Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in GOD’s name, saying, “GOD will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!’”
NOTE:
Covenant is such wonderful and permanently binding, partly because in today’s society. It is such an amazing thing today it is so rare. It is easy to “cut and run” when the going gets tough.
But remember: “Tough times never last, but tough people do”. I am not talking about “positive thinking” or merely what was called “intestinal fortitude” when I was in basic training for the U.S. Army.
Yes… those are important attitudes and qualities to have. May we be “strong in the covenant of the Lord and in the power of His might.” And His power is made perfect in the very weakness that my humanity despises so much. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 and 12:9)
~~~
Jesus has likened spiritual life and the Kingdom of God to like being a seed. One of my most favorite verses is John 12 (NKJV)
24
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
25
He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
~~~
As Christians, we are in the process of dying to the residue of the sinful man and sinful humanity in order to completely put on Christ—the fullness of righteousness, life and peace.
Our spirits are made righteous by God’s grace. Our souls and bodies are redeemed, and in the process of being completely saved.
Yet, to understand this takes wisdom. It is ironic that modern society is so caught up in the current craze of the “Gnostic Jesus” and the “Gnostic gospels”.
Why?
For today’s society builds up the flesh, the body—and worships the flesh and the body—at the expense of the spiritual because of “science” and “existentialism”.
Yet, the Gnostics taught that the body was evil. That is why in the so-called “gospel of Judas”, the so-called “Gnostic Jesus” needed Judas’ help to get to the cross—after all that Jesus supposedly saw his body as evil and as a barrier to purity.
No… our bodies are not evil, and neither is matter. Rather, all aspects of our personalities are tainted by sin as is all of creation.
THE REAL QUESTION REGARDING EVIL IS… where is it? It is not localized in our bodies. Rather, it is in our hearts.
In this regard, I really like what the Lord Jesus said in the following verse in John chapter 9 in the Message:
39
Jesus then said, “I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind.”
The true, historical, living Lord Jesus was sinless, and was able to die for our sins in our place because of that.
The true, historical, living Lord Jesus offered Himself in our place so all of us—spirit, soul, and body—could be fully redeemed as we allow Him to remove from us the impurity and uncleanness of sin and its effects.
I Thessalonians 5 (NKJV)
23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24
He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Vance

======= John:

New Moon Festival
We first hear about the New Moon Festival in the book of Shemot (Exodus) 40:1-2: “And the L-rd spake unto Moshe, saying, On the first day of the first month thou shalt set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.” In the Hebrew calendar the new moon begins a new month. It was on this particular day that the L-rd wanted Moshe to erect the Tabernacle.
After the Tabernacle was erected, on that very same day, the Glory of G-d filled it. Shemot 40:33-34: “And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moshe finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the L-rd filled the tabernacle.” It was on the new moon that the glory of the L-rd filled the Tabernacle. The New Moon Festival was also a day of sacrifice. Bamidbar (Numbers) 28:11: “And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the L-rd; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;” Not only that, it was also to be a day of the blowing of the shofar. Bamidbar 10:10: “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your G-d: I Am the L-rd your G-d.”
Besides many other Biblical events which occurred on the new moon, it was also the day when Moshe spoke to the children of Israel giving them the L-rd’s commandments.
Re-reading it seems the Festival was only on the First month of the year. Besides the biblical commands, something akin to our New Year’s Day celebration.
Bowing three times
A custom in the ancient world to bow three times to royalty. No mention of why three (3)?. Jonathan was a prince. David at this time – still a servant of the king. Everything after the bowing was as “good friends”
Doeg the Edomite
“doeg” means fearing, anxious.
Who knows? Saul did what he wanted. Perhaps Doeg had some physical traits that Saul desired in his chief herdsmen. (Stature, strength, etc.) Perhaps he had proven his loyalty over time being promoted from a regular shepherd. Remember shepherds were the lowliest form of occupation in Israel, so being the head shepherd was not a place of great distinction. Perhaps doeg had converted to Judaism (doubtful).
In the end he was an extension of Saul’s evil wishes (and perhaps Saul himself)and slays the priests when no other of Saul’s servants will do the deed.
Saul was evil at this point and had no hesitation of hurting people of Israel (priests), Edomites hated Israel and coveted their land. Seems like a match made by “satan”?????
John

========= John:

Greater Miracle than the Last
This man the Lord chose (nowhere does it say the man came to the Lord for healing)
No one had ever been healed of Blindness from birth.
The opening of eyes to the light: to me Jesus first covered the eyes with spittle and earth (the world) and then told man to wash the mixture off in the Pool of Siloam. Water ingested represents the Holy Spirit, Water used in exteranl cleansing represents the Word. By belief and the use of the Word, the filth and blocking of vision by the world will be taken away. You will see the light.
This man stood up for Jesus in front of scrutiny. He was banned from synagouge.
He was not only given physical sight, but spiritual sight.
He chose a man who was blind from birth, just as man is spiritually blind from birth, and he healed him.
John

======= John:

John 9
Pool of Siloam
Scoffers of the Bible used to point to this “pool” named in the Bible, and claim it did not exist. Just another error in the Bible.
OOPS!
In 2004, the pool was discovered in an archaeological dig.
======================================================
John 9:25b
“…One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” NIV
My favorite line in John – it applies exactly as to how I was before Salvation, and how I became after Salvation.
======================================================
Greater Miracle than the Last
This man the Lord chose (nowhere does it say the man came to the Lord for healing)
No one had ever been healed of Blindness from birth.
The opening of eyes to the light: to me Jesus first covered the eyes with spittle and earth (the world) and then told man to wash the mixture off in the Pool of Siloam. Water ingested represents the Holy Spirit, Water used in exteranl cleansing represents the Word. By belief and the use of the Word, the filth and blocking of vision by the world will be taken away. You will see the light.
This man stood up for Jesus in front of scrutiny. He was banned from synagouge.
He was not only given physical sight, but spiritual sight.
He chose a man who was blind from birth, just as man is spiritually blind from birth, and he healed him.
John

======= John:

Telling lies
1Sam20:29
“He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.” NIV
There was a discussion last year on the blog about whether it is ever right to lie.
Study note from faithtacoma church:
Here is another case of a godly man telling a manifest untruth in a context in which it is not clear at all that the Bible condemns him for doing so (cf. the Hebrew midwives; Rahab; etc.). There are circumstances in which telling an untruth does not amount to “bearing false witness against one’s neighbor.” Interestingly, in the biblical examples, the untruth is told virtually always on behalf of someone else, not oneself. Here David. So, by and large, count on it. The lies you feel tempted to tell will very rarely be justified by such examples as these.
More on telling lies
David fabricates a story and tells it to Ahimelech the priest at Nob.
More from faithtacoma:
Fact is, we don’t get anywhere in this material the sense that the narrator necessarily disproves of these deceits. The ethics of war are not the same as the ethics of peace. No one disproves of an army concealing its intentions, even attempting to convince its enemy that its intentions are otherwise than they are (Joshua sending the spies ahead of his army into Canaan; the allies regarding the invasion landing sites in Normandy). What we have here, of course, is the early stages of the war between the house of Saul and the house of David.
John

======= John:

Regarding Jesus’ Deity
John 9:37-38
“Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”
AND HE WORSHIPPED HIM.
Another verse to show those who do not believe in the Deity of Christ. In the Scripture only God is to be worshipped. If something or someone ever contradicts scripture – Jesus, in the past, has always corrected the situation.
Jesus does not object to the worship – so even though not verbally declaring His deity – the lack of objection by Jesus confirms His Deity.
John

======= Jill:

God allows pain and struggles in this world which is a result of Adam and Eves sin.
But he draws us close to him through our afflictions!
And we can let others know where our hope comes From!
Having been diagnosed with a medical condition has made me look at life differently. I need to be intentional about every day! It’s not easy but I give God glory anyway!
Thanks Mike for this blog!
Jill