Monthly Archives: July 2012

Daily Bible Study

July 12, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 11-12:18

     Today’s passage begins by listing a group of warriors from the tribe of Manasseh who abandoned the Israelite army and joined David when he fled from King Saul to the Philistines. The passage then continues with the warriors from various tribes who joined David after Saul’s death while he was still basing himself at Hebron and fighting Saul’s son Ish-bosheth. The passage tells us that after this second group arrived there was four days of feasting.
     The passage does not tell us how the transition happened from David’s capital being in Hebron to being in Jerusalem, but the next thing we are told is that David called an assembly to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the capital (which is now Jerusalem), something that was not done during Saul’s reign. David has the Ark placed on an oxcart and people from all over Israel escorted it with songs and celebration. When the Ark got close to Jerusalem the oxen stumbled and one of the men guiding the cart reached out to steady the Ark and was struck dead. David was angry, and frightened, by this turn of events, so he left the Ark at that location in the care of a man who lived near there. We are told that for the three months that David left the Ark there the man and his family prospered. The passage does not go into detail as to what went wrong here. However, in Exodus God instructed Moses that when the Ark was moved it should be carried by priests using poles that would extend through the carrying rings mounted on it for that purpose. Here the Ark was being transported by oxcart.
     Today’s passage concludes with an account of the Philistines mustering their army to defeat David before he is able to consolidate his power. David mustered his army to oppose them. When the Philistines launched an attack in one area, David consulted God as to what he should do and followed God’s instruction to meet the Philistines in a frontal assault. David defeated them in this battle. After a while the Philistines again attacked that area. On this occasion, David outflanked them and attacked them from behind. After this second battle, David conquered most, if not all, of the Philistine territory.

Romans 1:1-17

     Paul begins his letter to the believers in Rome with a short summary of who he is and the Gospel that he preaches. He tells them that he was appointed by God as God’s messenger to preach His Good News (or Gospel). This Good News is that Jesus is God’s son who died and was raised from the dead. Paul goes on to tell them that their faith is a subject of talk throughout the Roman Empire and that he prays for them regularly. One of the things that Paul has been praying for is the opportunity to come to Rome to visit them. He tells them that he hopes to bring them some spiritual gift and encouragement, but that he does not expect this to be a one way street. Paul says that he expects to be encouraged by their faith, and I think he is implying that he expects them to help him come to a greater understanding of God’s will for him.
     Paul tells them that he has planned to visit them before, but has been prevented from doing so. He tells them that he hopes to come and preach among them because he feels an obligation to preach to the civilized and the uncivilized, to the educated and the uneducated. I think this is an important point. The Gospel is for all people in whatever state they come to it. There is a tendency of Christians to think that somehow the Gospel isn’t really for the educated, or the uneducated. Or it isn’t for those who are cultured, or those who are not cultured. But Paul is telling us here that the Gospel is for all, and that all fall equally short of God’s glory. The educated are no closer to God than the uneducated, and vice versa. The the cultured are no closer to God than the uncultured and vice versa. All are the same distance from God.
     Paul tells us that the Good News he preaches tells us how God makes us right in His sight. God accomplishes this through faith. God makes us right with Him through faith. We must have faith in Him and we have no extra inside track by being educated, or by being uneducated. It is the same for all of us. No matter who we are, we must live our life through faith in God.

Psalm 9:13-20

     The psalmist calls out to the Lord for salvation so that he can praise the Lord publicly. Do we praise the Lord publicly for the ways that he has saved us? I know that I do not do so enough. The psalmist goes on to say that the seeds of the destruction of the wicked is sown by the wicked themselves. That they will fall into the traps that they set for others. God will provide for the needy. He will fulfill the hopes of the poor. Those who defy God will discover how inadequate they are to the task they have set themselves. Those who puff themselves up as able to stand on their own and defy God will discover that they are mere mortal humans after all.

Proverbs 19:4-5

     The first of today’s proverbs tells us that there are many people who wish to be friends with the wealthy, but those people will go away as soon as the money does. The second tells us that those who lie and falsely accuse others will not escape punishment. That sooner or later those who falsely accuse others will pay a price that they would rather not.

Daily Bible Study

July 11, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 11-12:18

     Today’s passage begins with an account of David becoming king of all Israel. It then speaks of his conquest of Jerusalem. This account tells us that David made Joab the commander of his armies because Joab led the attack to take Jerusalem. We then have a list of the elite groups of fighting men who followed David. There is the Three and the Thirty. It is interesting that there were more than thirty members of the Thirty. Whether this is because some were promoted to fill ranks left by the deaths of others or because for some reason David added men to the ranks of the Thirty without changing the name of the group we do not know. I find it noteworthy that Uriah, who David later has killed over his wife Bathsheba, was one of the Thirty.
     One thing I had never noticed before is that while David was on the run from King Saul, a force of warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, who were related to Saul, joined him. The passage also mentions some warriors from the tribe of Gad who joined him. Something I found noteworthy in this passage is that when it starts introducing David’s mighty men it says that they decided to make David their king, along with all of Israel. The phrasing suggests that the decision of these mighty men to make David king is to some degree more important than that of the other people of Israel.

Acts 28:1-31

     Once ashore after the shipwreck they discovered that they were on the island of Malta. The locals welcomed them and treated them well. The locals built them a fire on the beach. While Paul was feeding some sticks to the fire a snake bit him. At first the locals were convinced that this indicated that he was some kind of horrible criminal whom the gods were punishing. When he was not harmed, they decided he must be a god. Shortly after this Paul healed the father of a local official and this led the people to bring all of the sick to him, Paul healed them as well. After three months they boarded another ship and continued their journey to Rome.
     When Paul arrived in Rome he was greeted by the believers there. Paul was allowed to take up a private residence in Rome although a soldier was stationed there to guard him. As soon as Paul was settled he called together the local Jewish leaders to explain to them why he was in Rome awaiting trial. They informed him that they had heard nothing from Jerusalem about him. They said that they were interested in hearing what he believed because they knew nothing about it except that it was denounced everywhere. Paul arranged a time for them to come and hear his testimony. Paul spent a day arguing from the Law and the prophets that Jesus was the Messiah. Some were persuaded by Paul and became believers, but many did not. Paul concluded the day by quoting from Isaiah a passage where the prophet said that the people’s hearts were hardened against God so that they would not turn to Him to be healed. I think that even today we need to be careful not to become like them and fail to see the ways that God is working in the world around us and to hear the word of God that is being spoken to us.

Psalm 9:1-12

     The psalmist proclaims that he will tell of the marvelous things that God has done. The psalmist tells us that the cities of the wicked will lie in ruins. God cares for the helpless and listens to the cries of those who suffer. I will praise the name of the Lord because He brings me joy and judges all on this earth with justice.

Proverbs 19:1-3

     We have three proverbs today. The first tells us that honesty is better than dishonesty, even if it means being poor. The second tells us that being enthusiastic about a task when you do not know what you are doing will lead to mistakes. That it is better to take your time and understand what you are doing than to rush in a hurry the project to completion before you know what it is you should be doing. The final one tells us that people often blame others, including God, for problems that they themselves created.

Daily Bible Study

July 10, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 9-10:14

     Today’s passage begins with an account of various people and what tribes they were descended from who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. This passage mentions priests and Levites and descendants of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It describes what duties the ancestors of the returning Levites had had in the pre-Exile Temple. The passage then repeats the family tree of King Saul.
     At this point, the writer begins his narrative with King Saul’s final battle against the Philistines. The account tells us that the battle grew thick around Saul and three of his sons were killed. Saul himself was wounded by Philistine archers. Saul begs his armor bearer to kill him before the Philistines could take him captive. His armor bearer was afraid to do so. King Saul then took his own sword and fell on it. The passage tells us that when the Israelites of that area realized that Saul and his three sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. We are told that when the Philistines found the bodies of Saul and his sons they displayed them on their city wall. The warriors from Jabesh-gilead recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons and buried them, holding a week long funeral fast for their deaths. The passage concludes by telling us that King Saul died because he was unfaithful to God. That because he did not obey God’s commands, God killed him and turned the kingdom over to David.

Acts 27:21-44

     We take up the story after the ship carrying Paul had been driven by the storm for many days. No one on board had eaten for some time. Paul called the crew together and told them the even though the ship is going to go down, none of them will lose their lives. The sailors sensed that they were getting close to shore, so they dropped a sounding rope to determine how deep the water was where they were. Shortly after that, they tested the depth again and discovered that the water was significantly more shallow. The sailors put out four anchors from the back of the ship to slow its progress towards shore. They then lowered the lifeboat and pretended that they were going to put out anchors from the front of the boat. However, Paul warned the soldiers to not let the sailors abandon the ship. The soldiers followed Paul’s warning and cut the ropes to the lifeboat before the sailors could get into it. As the next day dawned, Paul urged everyone to eat for their own good and told them that they would all survive. They took his advice and ate. When it became light, they saw a coastline they did not recognize. They saw a bay with a beach that they hoped to run the ship aground on. They cut the anchors and steered the ship for the beach. Unfortunately, they hit a shoal and ran aground further out than they desired. The ship began to break apart under the force of the waves smashing into it. The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to prevent their escape, but the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul’s life, so he would not let them kill any of the prisoners. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first. The rest clung to planks or other floating debris from the ship. The passage concludes by telling us that everyone made it to shore safely.

Psalm 8:1-9

     The psalmist marvels at the care that God shows for humans when you consider humans in the scale of the universe. When you look at the night sky and see the size of the universe, how can anyone not be impressed by the majesty of God? There are those who wonder why God would make the universe so large if humans on this earth are the only intelligent beings in it. But I think in part, God did this to give us some sense of the scale between our finite selves and His infinite being. This does not mean that I am convinced that there are no beings elsewhere in the universe that were created to worship God, just that I can see a purpose for the universe being so big even if there are not. I think of this psalm often when I view the vastness of nature and/or the night sky and it makes me hold God in awe.

Proverbs 18:23-24

     This proverb tells us that some people are willing to throw those they claim as friends “under the bus” to advance their own interests, but a real friend will stand by their friends no matter what the cost. I try to be tend toward the latter, even with people who I do not yet count as friends. I do not want anyone I know to think there is no one they can turn to in times of trouble. I know that I do not always succeed in being that person that they can turn to, but I strive for that end.

Daily Bible Study

July 9, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 7-8:40

     Today’s passage lists out the descendants of the remaining sons of Jacob, completing the listing of the tribes of Israel. Interestingly, we have two lists of the descendants of Benjamin. The first list, says gives three sons for Benjamin. The second list gives five. The first list implies that there might be more than three sons for Benjamin. The second list has ambiguous wording in the original Hebrew that makes determining the relationship (father-son, ancestor-descendant) between people listed hard to determine. My suspicion is that the author of this book had more than one source for these lineages and was not himself quite sure of the meanings of some of the relationships listed in those sources. The passage ends with a genealogy of King Saul’s family including his descendants by Jonathan’s son, Merib-baal.

Acts 27:1-20

     This passage begins by telling us that Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman centurion to be taken to Rome. Luke, and possibly others, sailed with them. Luke gives a detailed account of their ports of call. We are told that in Lycia, a province of what is now Turkey, they changed ships. After this change of ships, they faced difficult weather which resulted in them traveling slower than usual for such a journey. When they reached the town of Fair Havens, the season at which it was no longer safe to sail was upon them. Paul told the crew that if they went on they would face shipwreck, loss of cargo and danger to life. However, the captain and crew did not want to winter in Fair Havens as it was a poor port to winter in since its harbor was exposed to the weather. They chose to try to make it to the harbor at Phoenix, which was a well-sheltered harbor.
     As soon as they got a good wind from the right direction, they set out, with the intention of staying close to the shore. Unfortunately, as soon as they were out of the harbor the weather changed and a strong wind blew them out to sea. The crew did everything they could to save the ship, but they were forced to throw the ship’s cargo overboard as well as some of the ship’s gear. Thus Paul’s warning is proven true. The storm continues to batter the ship for many days until everyone has given up hope.

Psalm 7:1-17

     The psalmist here proclaims that he will trust God to be his judge, that if he is guilty of evil, he will accept God’s judgement against him. But, he also says that he trusts that God will protect him and save him from those who seek to harm him because he has served God. The psalmist tells us that God will go to war against those who do not repent of their sins. Finally, the psalmist warns that wicked plans will backfire on those who make them. He concludes by saying that he will thank and praise God because He is just.

Proverbs 18:22

     How true this proverb is. My wife is a wonderful treasure and the Lord has shown great favor to me by bringing her into my life. My life has been so enriched since I married her and my walk with God improved.

Daily Bible Study

July 8, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81

     Today’s passage begins with a short account of how the tribes of Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh took control of land east of the Jordan river. It then follows with an account of the line of Aaron from Levi, his ancestor, to the Babylonian captivity. Next we have an account of the clans of the tribe of Levi. It is not clear to me what the relationship of the people listed is to Levi. It appears that the passage lists Levi’s sons, followed by a listing of various prominent descendants of those sons. We then come to an account of the people that David assigned to be musicians in the Temple once it was built. This is followed by the comment that only Aaron and his descendants served as priests, which includes a list of some of his descendants. Finally the passage discusses the cities and towns that were designated as the property of the Levites throughout the lands settled by the children of Israel.

Acts 26:1-32

     Paul began his defense before King Agrippa by complimenting King Agrippa on his knowledge of Jewish customs and laws. He then mentioned his thorough training in Jewish law and his adherence to the sect of the Pharisees, referring to it as the strictest sect of Judaism. Paul said that the accusations against him were a result of his belief that God could and would raise people from the dead. Paul told how he strenuously persecuted those who believed in Jesus, until he experienced a vision while on his way to Damascus. Paul told the court that in the vision he heard a voice asking him why he persecuted Him and that “It is hard for you to kick against the oxgoads.” An oxgoad is a pointed stick used to poke an ox and goad it into moving in the desired direction, so this last sentence implies that God had been driving Paul towards serving Christ for a time before he had this vision. Paul went on to say that the voice in the vision identified itself as Jesus. It further told Paul that he was being appointed to preach to the Gentiles in order to turn them from Satan to God. Paul went on to say that he obeyed the voice in the vision and began preaching that all must repent their sins and turn to God, and that they must prove the change by doing good works. This is an interesting point Paul makes here. In his letters Paul emphasized that our works do not save us, but here he stated something similar to what James wrote about. Paul said that if we are changed by faith, our actions will reflect that change. Paul finished by saying that Jesus died and was resurrected as a way to announce to the world God’s plan for salvation.
     Festus interrupted him here and called him crazy. Paul responded that he is not crazy and that King Agrippa was familiar with the events of which he was speaking. Paul then asked King Agrippa if he believed the prophets and answered his own question by saying that he knew he did. King Agrippa interrupted Paul to ask him if he thought he could persuade him to become a Christian so quickly. Paul responded by saying that he did not care if it happened quickly or slowly, but that he wished that all present would come to the same faith the he, Paul, held to. This should be the desire of each of us, to convince those we meet to accept the Gospel, whether quickly or over time, in whatever manner the Spirit of God moves.

Psalm 6:1-10

     The psalmist begs God for forgiveness, acknowledging his weakness in keeping God’s commands. He speaks of how sorrowful he is for his sins, but also his confidence that God will answer his prayer. I understand this. This spring I was unemployed and facing financial difficulties. I prayed to God for Him to show me how to go and my prayers were becoming desperate. Yet I had faith that God would provide and He has. Just as my financial reserves were exhausted He provided me with a job that is financially and emotionally rewarding. While the schedule is not as nice as the job I lost, the work is more fulfilling and gives me a greater sense of accomplishment. In addition, it provides me with experience that makes me a more marketable employee going forward. God has rescued me in much the way that this psalm expresses faith that He will. When I was tempted to become despondent because of the trials I was facing, my faith in God, and psalms such as this one, kept me from doing so. God has shown himself to be faithful and provided for my needs.

Proverbs 18:20-21

     The first proverb tells us that the right words are as satisfying as a good meal. I do not know whether the writer is speaking of saying or hearing the right words, or perhaps he means both. That is certainly my experience. There have been times when someone has come up to me and used just the right words to make me feel good about myself at a moment when I needed it and it has been very satisfying. On the other hand, there have been times when out of nowhere exactly the right words to say to someone struggling have come to me and that also has been very satisfying. Saying the words that someone needs to hear at that moment is a feeling that cannot be surpassed.
     The second proverb tells us that saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can be every bit as destructive as saying the right thing at the right time can be uplifting. If you love to talk, you will reap both the positive and negative consequences of your words. I love to talk but I struggle to restrain that love so as to avoid saying things that might hurt others. I try to think about how others will hear my words before I utter them. I often unsuccessful.

Daily Bible Study

July 7, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 4:5-5:17

     Today’s passage recounts more on the descendants of Judah and lists descendants of Simeon, Reuben and Gad. The only thing in this passage that is not just a dry recounting of lineage and historical information is the prayer of Jabez. We are told that he was more honorable than his brothers and that he prayed this prayer, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” We are told that God granted his request. A book was written about this prayer suggesting that Christians pray it daily. While the interpretation given in the book is not bad, I believe a large part of its popularity was due to this prayer readily lending itself to a “prosperity gospel” interpretation. Personally, I think that the Lord’s prayer given by Jesus to His disciples as a model prayer is a much better prayer for Christians to try and say every day.

Acts 25:1-27

     This passage tells us what happened when the governor who was in charge when Paul was arrested was replaced by Festus. When Festus visits Jerusalem shortly after arriving, the Jewish leaders request that he transfer Paul to Jerusalem. Festus refuses since Paul is in Caesarea, where Festus will be returning shortly. Festus tells the Jewish leaders that they can make their accusations against Paul before him there. When the Jewish leaders make their case against Paul before Festus, they are unable to support any of their charges. Festus attempts to get Paul to agree to a transfer of his trial to Jerusalem. Paul refuses and appeals to Caesar. Before he appeals to Caesar, Paul points out that Festus has found him guilty of nothing worthy of death and that if he is sent to Jerusalem, he will be killed. When King Agrippa comes to visit with Festus, Festus discusses the case with him. Festus implies that if Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he might go free. However, this is contrary to the evidence since Paul has been in prison for over two years at this point and neither Felix nor Festus has found him guilty of anything despite both holding trials for him. It is clear that the Roman governors are not going to let Paul go free (unless, perhaps, he bribes them).
     King Agrippa expressed an interest in hearing Paul speak, so Festus agreed to arrange for it the following day. The next day, King Agrippa and his sister came to the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by an escort of military officers and important functionaries. It is not clear from the passage who was the intended audience of this pomp, whether it was Festus or Paul. I suspect it was a little bit of both.

Psalm 5:1-12

     The psalmist declares that each morning he brings his requests to the Lord in prayer and then waits expectantly for God’s reply. He asks God to make His way for him to follow. I echo that. I struggle with a tendency to take the easy path, if God does not make His way clear, I will follow the path of least resistance. If we follow the Lord’s guidance, we will find safety from those who seek to harm us and victory over the wicked.

Proverbs 18:19

     Today’s proverb tells us how damaging an argument can be to friendship. I have seen several of my friends destroy friendships of long standing because they were unwilling to apologize for hurtful things that they said. The hurtful things were true, but they could have been said more gently and perhaps would have led to a positive change in the person they were directed at if they had been said that way. As it is, friendships of long standing were destroyed and souls were hardened even further against Christ.

Daily Bible Study

July 6, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4

     Today, the passage is again a list of genealogies, who is descended from whom. Yesterday’s passage ended with the lineage leading to David. Today’s passage begins with a list of some of the other descendants of one of his ancestors. The passage goes on to list the sons David had by his wives, explicitly leaving out the sons born to his concubines. Next we have a list of descendants of Solomon, which for the most part lists only those who sat on the throne. The passage then wraps up its listing of descendants of David by listing the descendants of Jehoiachin (who was the last pre-exile king of Judah to have descendants, all of the sons of his uncle who succeeded him were killed). Finally, the passage lists other descendants of Judah.

Acts 24:1-27

     After Paul was in Caesarea for five days, the high priest and some other Jewish leaders arrived to present their case before the governor. They claimed that Paul was stirring up riots among Jews all over the world and that he was trying to desecrate the Temple when they arrested him. They also mention that he is a leader of a cult. The governor then indicates for Paul to present his defense. Paul starts off by pointing out that the Jewish leaders did not find him arguing with anyone and can point to no trouble he stirred up in Jerusalem. Paul openly admits to being a follower of the Way, but states that he firmly believes the Law and the prophets. Paul goes on to point out that this whole thing was started by some Jews from Asia who were not present to make a case against him. Paul concludes his defense by asking Felix to ask the Jewish leaders what crime the Sanhedrin had found him guilty of. At this point Governor Felix adjourned the hearing.
     A few days later, Felix summons Paul to speak with him and his wife. Paul spoke with them about righteousness, self-control and the coming day of judgement. Felix became frightened by what Paul was saying and sent Paul away. Felix kept hoping Paul would offer him a bribe, so he brought him before him frequently. After two years with Paul in a kind of house arrest, Felix is replaced as governor. In order to maintain good will with the Jewish leaders, Felix leaves Paul in prison.
     I find it interesting to note what Paul spoke about with Governor Felix. He discussed righteousness, that is he talked about what is morality and how can we know what is moral. He discussed self-control, that is he discussed the question of whether or not we can live up to a true moral code. Finally, he discussed the fact that at some point we will be held accountable for our success or failure to live up to what is moral. I think this gives us a guideline we can follow when we attempt to witness to unbelievers.

Psalm 4:1-8

     The psalmist here calls on us to trust God and declares that God gives him more joy than that possessed by those who have all of the worldly possessions they could desire. We are told to not let anger control us, that we should sleep on it before we act after someone angers us. Further we are told to present ourselves to God with the right spirit, not one of selfishness. Finally, the psalmist tells us that he can sleep peacefully because God, and God alone, will keep him safe.

Proverbs 18:16-18

     The first of today’s proverbs tells us that by being generous we will have more opportunities. The second one tells us that the first person to present their case will sound reasonable and right, at least until we hear the other side. We should not take sides in a dispute until both sides have had a chance to present their side of things. The final proverb tells us that sometimes the best way to resolve a dispute is to select some random method (such as flipping a coin) to decide whose wish gets followed.

Daily Bible Study

July 5, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

1 Chronicles 1-2:17

     This passage is part of why I started this blog. I really have trouble reading passages like this and getting anything out of them. Yet, from time to time, I will hear a sermon preached where the speaker draws some important lesson out of a passage like this. The passage starts by giving the lineage from Adam to Noah, with no side branches, which makes sense since only descendants of Noah are alive today. Then the passage lists descendants of each of Noah’s sons. Interestingly, there is very little detail on the descendants of Japheth. There is significantly more detail on the descendants of Ham and what peoples descended from Ham. Finally there is Shem. Here there is little more detail than for the descendants of Japheth, except for the branch that leads to Abraham. Here it gives a straight line to Abraham except for three side lines. We are given all of the sons of Shem. We are told the descendants of one of the sons of Shem who was not an ancestor of Abraham. And we are told the descendants of Joktan who is midway between Noah and Abraham, but not an ancestor of Abraham.
     Next we are told of Abraham’s sons, with a little detail given on his sons other than Isaac. This is followed by some detail on the descendants of Esau, who were the Edomites. Finally the passage closes with information on the descendants of Judah leading to David.

Acts 23:11-35

     The passage starts by telling us about the vision Paul had the night after he spoke to the Sanhedrin. In the vision, Paul is told that he will preach the Gospel in Rome. The day after Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin a group of forty men took an oath to kill Paul. They conspired with the leaders of the Sanhedrin to get the Roman commander to bring Paul out of the fortress to appear before the Sanhedrin again. However, Paul’s nephew overheard their plans and went to tell Paul. When Paul heard of the plot, he sent his nephew to the commander. When the commander heard of the plot, he immediately sent Paul to Governor Felix (I’ve always liked that name, probably because of the Felix the Cat cartoon) in Caesarea with a strong escort. The commander writes a letter to the governor laying out the circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment.

Psalm 3:1-8

     This psalm is written about David’s thoughts when he fled from his son Absalom. The vast majority was sure that he would suffer defeat. He tells us that even when defeat seems sure, if we turn to God, He will rescue us. We need not fear any number of enemies when we put our faith in God.

Proverbs 18:14-15

     The first proverb tells us that when the body is sick, one can soldier on, but when the spirit is crushed, people become overwhelmed. No one commits suicide because they are sick, they commit suicide because their spirit is broken.
     The key to intelligence is being willing to learn. There are many who believe that intelligence is an inborn characteristic and there may be something to that. But more important than any inborn gifts is the desire and willingness to learn. I have known people who during their school years were always in the advanced classes, but in adulthood gradually seemed to become progressively more stupid. On the other hand, I have known people who were in the slow classes in school, for good reason, who as they got older seemed to get smarter and smarter. The former were those who, as they got older, became convinced that they had learned everything they needed to know. The latter were people who, despite how much effort it took them to learn anything new, were always seeking to master new knowledge. The proverb tells us that the intelligent are always listening for new knowledge.

Daily Bible Study

July 4, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

2 Kings 23:31-25:30

     After the death of Josiah, his son Jehoahaz took the throne, but he only ruled for three months before Pharaoh Neco took him captive and put his brother on the throne. Pharaoh Neco put Eliakim on the throne and changed his name to Jehoiakim. When the Babylonians first attacked Judah, Jehoiakim surrendered and agreed to pay tribute. After three years Jehoiakim rebelled, shortly after this he died and was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin. King Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem and Jehoiachin surrendered to him. King Nebuchadnezzar took 10,000 of the people of Jerusalem captive back to Babylon along with Jehoiachin. Nebuchadnezzar put Jehoichin’s uncle on the throne and changed his name to Zedekiah. In the ninth year of his reign, Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon. The Babylonians returned and laid siege to Jerusalem for a little over two years. King Zedekiah then attempts to escape the siege, but is captured. The Babylonians kill his sons and gouge out his eyes before taking him away to Babylon in chains. The Babylonians then destroyed the Temple and most of Jerusalem, including tearing down its walls.
     After destroying Jerusalem, King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah governor of Judah. Gedaliah assured the remaining people that if they served the king of Babylon all would be well for them. A few months later a member of the royal house of Judah killed Gedaliah and those with him. The rest of the people of Judah fled to Egypt to escape the expected retaliation of the Babylonians.

Acts 22:17-23:10

     Paul continued his speech to the crowd. He told them that God told him that the people of Jerusalem would not accept his testimony concerning Jesus. Paul further said that he argued with God by saying that the people of Jerusalem knew of how he persecuted the Church before his conversion. Paul then told them that God said He was sending him to the Gentiles. When the crowd heard this they began shouting again and demanding his death.
     The Roman commander took Paul into the garrison and ordered him lashed to make him confess his crimes. As they tied him down to lash him, Paul asked if it was legal to whip a Roman citizen without a trial. When the commander was told of this, he asked Paul if it was true that he was a Roman citizen. When Paul replied that he was, the Roman commander said that he had paid a lot to become a Roman citizen. Paul answered that he was one by birth. Paul did not seek Roman citizenship, but he took advantage of the fact that he had it in order to further his ministry.
     The following day, the commander called the Sanhedrin into session and had Paul stand before them. Paul began his defense by saying that he had a clear conscience before God. The high priest ordered those near to Paul to slap him or saying that. Paul responded by calling him a white-washed wall, which is a reference to the Jewish practice of white-washing the outside walls of tombs and is a vary offensive way of calling him a hypocrite. When those near him questioned him insulting the high priest, Paul apologized and said that he had not realized that he was the high priest. Paul further says that one should not speak badly of one’s rulers. This is something that Paul also says in his letters. This is really a challenge for me. I need to remember that those in positions of authority are there because God has chosen to put them there. They will remain in those positions of authority only so long as they serve God’s purpose by being there. We are called to offer them respect and honor, if only because of the authority that God has delegated to them.
     When Paul realized that the council before him was divided between Pharisees, who believed in resurrection, and Sadducees, who did not, he declared that he was on trial because his hope in the resurrection of the dead. This started an argument between the two factions, which got so heated that the Roman commander feared that Paul would be injured. He then ordered his men to remove Paul from the chamber and take him back to the fortress.

Psalm 2:1-12

     The psalmist tells us that the rulers of the nations of the earth go to war against God and attempt to free themselves from His will. The psalmist further tells us that they will fail. They have no choice but to serve God’s will and God will smash them for their rebellion. This is an interesting passage in light of Paul’s comments about respecting rulers in the passage in Acts. Paul tells us that we should respect our rulers. The psalmist tells us that those rulers will rebel against God. The psalmist further tells us that despite their rebellion, the rulers will serve God. Those who rule this earth may rebel against God, but they will serve His will nevertheless.

Proverbs 18:13

     Today’s proverb is one that I try very hard to remember. I am very opinionated on many subjects. This means that I must struggle to hold my tongue until I am sure I know the facts of a case. I work very hard to see where a story I am told conceals facts that might change my perception of what happened. I then try to point out to others that perhaps judgement should be reserved until those facts are known. I often fail and, much to my chagrin, discover that I have come out in favor of a position which is contrary to the facts.

Daily Bible Study

July 3, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

2 Kings 22:3-23:30

     Like King Jehoash several generations earlier, King Josiah orders Temple repairs. During the repairs, the priests discover the Book of the Law. They gave it to the king’s court secretary, who in turn read it to King Josiah. King Josiah is horrified to learn how far they have fallen short of keeping the Law. Josiah at once sends someone to inquire of the Lord what they should do and to beg forgiveness of God. God sends word that He is indeed angry and that disaster is going to come to Jerusalem because the people had failed to keep His law, but that because Josiah had repented in sorrow and turned to God, it would be delayed until after his death.
     King Josiah gathered the elders of Judah and read them the book which had been found in the Temple. He renewed the Covenant between the descendants of Jacob and God. Josiah then began the most thorough cleansing of pagan practices from among the people of Judah that had occurred under any king of Israel or Judah. He thoroughly desecrated all of the pagan shrines throughout the land, including the high places where Yahweh had been worshiped alongside of pagan gods. He extended this cleansing through most of what had been the Northern Kingdom. He brought all of the priests living throughout Judah to Jerusalem. He did not allow the priests who had served at the high places to serve in the Temple, but he allowed them to eat from the same offerings that supported the priests of the Temple. King Josiah then ordered the people to celebrate the Passover. The passage tells us that the Passover had not been completely celebrated under any of the previous kings, including David. Finally the passage tells us that King Josiah was killed when he went to battle to prevent the King of Egypt from marching through his land.
     A common opinion among biblical scholars is that the “Book of the Law” this passage says was found in the Temple was actually written at this time and is the starting point for the book we now know as Deuteronomy. I understand why they take this position, but I do not agree. I believe that there are two things that call this conclusion into question. One of the things that they base this on is the fact that evidence suggests that the people of Israel and Judah had practiced a kind of polytheism up until this time, treating Yahweh as the chief god of the pantheon (it is much more complicated than that and I would debate this conclusion, but that is for another time). During the time of Josiah and forward, Judaism was much more militantly monotheistic. Even if one accepts this understanding there is a flaw in the reasoning. Modern Christians consider slavery to be wrong and sinful, yet until the eighteenth century Christians accepted it. No new scripture was needed to make the change, just a different understanding of existing scripture…and of a Christian’s relationship to his fellow man. Another reason that some biblical scholars reject the Mosaic origins of Deuteronomy and place its origins here is that they do not believe in God’s supernatural intervention into history. I believe that it is logically consistent to accept the Bible as an authoritative document and yet reject the idea that God intervenes into history. My experience with those who do that is that they pick and chose what parts of the Bible they will believe and what parts of modern archeology they will believe based on how well either supports their preconceived understanding. I know that when I read the Bible, I tend to understand it based on preconceived notions. However, I try very hard to question those preconceptions when I come across scripture which conflicts with them.

Acts 21:37-22:16

     As the Roman commander is taking Paul into the garrison, Paul asks for a word with him. The Roman commander is surprised that Paul speaks Greek because he thought that Paul was an Egyptian rebel (there is no explanation in the passage as to where the commander got that idea). Paul tells the Roman commander that not only is he not, but that he is a citizen of Tarsus (I believe that Paul was telling the commander that he was a Roman citizen from the city of Tarsus, rather than that he was just a citizen of the city of Tarsus). Paul requests permission to address the crowd, which the commander grants. When Paul starts speaking in Aramaic, the crowd quiets down (apparently taken by surprise that Paul can speak that language). Paul begins by telling the crowd his background as a Jew born in Tarsus and raised in Jerusalem. He lays out his credentials as a student of Gamaliel and as a persecutor of the Church. He then tells of his conversion experience. I think that this is an important model for us as Christians when we are testifying to others. We need to lay out our background so that people can understand what a change our conversion represents. God will use us to witness to those to whom our life story connects. We should not be ashamed of either a “goody-two-shoes” background or a “steeped in sin” background, or anything in between. It is the path that God has given us to use to reach those we meet.

Christian Images

Psalm 1:1-6

     The psalmist tells us not to take the advice of the wicked or hang out with sinners or join in with those who mock others. There are three levels here. The first is that you should consider the source when you receive advice, if the person giving the advice does not share your values their advice is not likely to yield results that will please you. The second is that what you find to be acceptable behavior for yourself will be influenced by those you spend time around, make sure that a majority of your free time is spent with those who are trying to live righteous lives. Finally, do not join in with those who mock others for whatever perceived flaws they have, mocking others is hurtful both to them and ourselves. If instead of listening to the advice of the wicked, hanging out with sinners and mocking others we study the scripture and attempt to apply it to our lives we will be rock solid and successful in what we do.

Proverbs 18:11-12

     This proverb tells us that the rich think that their wealth will protect them from danger. While this is often true, there are situations where wealth will bring increased danger rather than security. Being puffed up and proud of yourself will often lead you to put yourself onto a path where your skills will be inadequate to get yourself out of trouble. On the other hand, those who are humble and recognize their limits will often be praised for their successes.