For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    I agree with the proverb writer. I would rather faithfully serve God and be poor, than gain great wealth through dishonesty and deceit.

    If we understand the truth in today’s psalm, and in the rest of Psalm 119, we too will love God’s instructions. Reading, meditating on, and following God’s laws will make us wiser than our enemies and give us insights not possessed by our teachers. The former will happen because we will have no enemies who study and follow God’s laws if we do the same. The latter is one of the wonders of God’s law. His Spirit will give fresh insights to each individual who studies His law. Let us share the insights He has given us with each other that we might all grow in our knowledge of Him.
    The great thing about studying and following God’s word is that it reveals the dangers of doing wrong before we are even tempted. Our enemies may set traps for us, but if we have studied God’s words and instructions carefully, we will walk right around them without ever being in danger. If we are careful in not allowing our enemies to lead us away from God’s word their traps will close on them rather than ourselves.

    When the Temple guards and Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus, it appears that they were expecting armed resistance. When Jesus told them that He was the one they were looking for, they fell back. I believe that they did so in order to prepare for the attack they believed was coming. When Peter attempted to begin the attack which the soldiers expected, Jesus stopped him. Jesus was willing to accept the suffering which was coming. We, also, should accept the suffering which will come our way for our faith.
    When the high priest asked Jesus detailed questions about His teachings, Jesus replied by telling him to ask those who had heard Him preach. Jesus did not teach in secret. The important thing here is that Jesus refused to get caught up in making His case in soundbites. It was not, and is not, possible to sum up the whole of Jesus’ teachings in a debate over the course of an evening. If you find yourself in a debate with someone where they keep bringing up some other aspect of what the Bible teaches, end it at once and suggest they come to Church and listen to the sermons for a year or two. Someone who goes from one “problem” to another is not looking for understanding. They are looking for an excuse to find fault.

    David continues to mishandle his son Absalom, allowing Absalom to feel neglected and unloved, and then, allowing Absalom to stir up dissatisfaction with David’s rule. This story, also, gives us an example of how a person who wants to gain political power will use behaviors and activity which make them seem sympathetic to the plight of individuals without needing to actually do anything. Absalom told everyone that he would have ruled in their favor, if he but had the power. No one considered whether what he was telling them was consistent with what he was telling someone else. They were convinced that Absalom would serve their if he were king. There is a warning here to be careful of those who promise everyone everything they desire.

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    I completely agree with this proverb. I would rather live an honest, godly life in poverty than gain great wealth through dishonesty and cheating others. The second part of this is important to remember as well. I have seen it in my own life where time and again I have tried to make plans according to what I see as God’s will for my life, only to have circumstances change so as to be unable to continue with those plans. I know that no matter what plans I make, only those which are truly what God wants will come to pass.

    The psalmist reminds us that God’s words and commands provide us with guidance for our lives. By studying God’s path and following His commands we will gain wisdom. God’s word supplies us with the light which allows us to see obstacles in the path of our lives so that we may either avoid them, or know how to deal with them when we must go through them. I have experienced the truth of the psalmist’s words. As I study God’s word and embrace His commands, I discover that I become ever more unwilling to follow paths which involve lies and deceit. The more I seek after God’ Truth, the more I dislike that which is false.

    When Jesus was brought before Annas, the high-priest’s father-in-law, Annas questioned Him about His teachings. Jesus replied by telling him that He had preached openly, none of His teaching was in secret. He told them to ask those who had heard Him teach. It reminds me of a saying I have heard from time to time. If it was illegal to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me? Or to put it another way, if those we meet in our every day lives were asked to testify, could they tell the court what we believe?
    I will strive to live my life so that those around me will know what I believe. If I make sure that those around me know what I believe, the Holy Spirit will bring to me those who are open to being convinced.

    Joab recognized that David was heart-sick at having exiled Absalom. So he sent a woman to David with a story to convince David to bring Absalom home. The woman reminded David that God seeks ways to bring us back to Him when we have been separated by our sins. David took this advice to heart and brought Absalom back. But when he did so, he did not fully follow God’s example. When God brings us back to Him, He embraces us and makes sure we know His love for us. David brought Absalom back, but he did not embrace him as his son. David continued the course of fatherly neglect which had led to the problem in the first place. Let us remember that when we forgive those who have sinned against us, we must show them our love. David failed to show his sons his love in a way which conveyed it to them. Just as David’s failure to convey his love led to Absalom’s rebellion against him, so too will any other father’s failure to convey their love to their children lead those children to rebel.

     I have been using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study for almost a year. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I started writing this blog because the only way I can get myself to read the Bible everyday is to pretend that I am teaching someone about what it says to me. 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. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     Joab realized that David wished to be reconciled with Absalom, so he concocted a plan to convince David to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. David recognized Joab’s hand behind the plan but sent Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. However, while David called Absalom back to Jerusalem, he refused to allow Absalom to come into his presence. After two years, Absalom sent word requesting a meeting with Joab, but Joab did not respond. Absalom sent a second request and again got no response. Absalom then told his servants to set fire to one of Joab’s fields. this got Joab to come see him. Absalom asked Joab to intercede with the king for him so that he might once more see the king. Joab did so and David relented and was reconciled with Absalom.
     After being reconciled to the king Absalom began, or perhaps resumed, his plot to gain the throne. He bought a chariot and horse and hired 50 bodyguards to run before him. Each day he went out and stood by the road leading into the city. When Absalom saw someone coming to the city to bring a case before the king, he would show an interest in them and tell them that he thought they had a good case but that the king had no one to review their case. He would tell them that if only he was the judge he would give them justice. Then when people tried to bow before him, Absalom would not let them. Absalom followed this procedure with everyone who came to the king for judgment. After four years of doing this Absalom had become beloved throughout the land and he was ready to move to the next phase.
     Absalom asked David for permission to go to Hebron to offer sacrifices, claiming that he had made a vow to do so while in exile. David told him to go and fulfill his vow. Once Absalom was in Hebron, he sent messengers throughout the land to spread word that Absalom had been crowned king. He had brought 200 men with him from Jerusalem who were unaware of his plot, but he also sent for his father David’s adviser, Ahithophel. Absalom’s conspiracy gained strength and more and more people became his followers.
     Word reached David that Absalom had made a claim to the throne and that people were supporting him. David at once gathered his men and fled Jerusalem, leaving behind only ten of his concubines to tend the palace in his absence. As his forces left the city, David stood aside to let his men go ahead of him. The passage is not clear, but it appears that most of the force which accompanied David as he left Jerusalem were Philistines (and perhaps members of a related ethnic group as well) who had chosen to follow David some time back. Among those was a group recently arrived from Gath. David suggested that this latter group of about 600 men should remain behind and transfer their loyalty to Absalom. However, their leader, a man by the name of Ittai, insisted on accompanying David. So, David and all of his loyal retainers and troops, along with their families, fled Jerusalem ahead of Absalom. Thus bringing to fulfillment, Nathan’s prophecy that David’s family would rebel against him.

     When Jesus finished His prayer, He and His disciples went to a garden that they often used when they were in Jerusalem. Judas was aware of this location and led a heavily armed contingent of soldiers and officials from the chief priests and religious leaders. When Jesus saw them coming He stepped forward and asked who they were looking for. When they said that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus answered, “I Am.” The various translations render this as “I am he,” however the notes tell me that the Greek is “I am.” This would have been understood by the Jews of that time as a reference to what God said when Moses asked Him who He was. The passage tells us that those who came to arrest Jesus drew back and fell to the ground when He said, “I am.” Understanding that Jesus was making a statement identifying Himself as God helps explain why they fell down when He said it. Even if they did not believe that He was the Messiah, they had to have heard the stories about what He had done and what many people thought of Him. So it is likely when He made that statement they were subconsciously expecting some overwhelming force to strike them.
     Jesus asked them again who they were looking for. When they responded once more that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus said that He was the one they were looking for and they should let the rest go. Peter then drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting of his ear. Jesus told Peter to put his sword away, that He was going to drink from the cup which God was giving Him. The soldiers then arrested Jesus and tied Him up. They took Him to Annas, the father-in-law to Caiaphas, the high priest. Peter and another disciple followed them. The other disciple (probably John) was known to the high priest, so he was able to go in while Peter had to remain outside. The other disciple spoke to the servant girl on duty and brought Peter in. The servant girl asked Peter if he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter answered that he was not.
     The high priest (it is somewhat ambiguous as to whether this refers to Caiaphas or to someone else, perhaps Annas) asked Jesus about His teachings and His disciples. Jesus answered that He had taught in the synagogues and the temple. Why question Him now? Why not ask those who had heard Him preach? One of the officials present slapped Jesus and implied that He was being disrespectful of the high priest. Jesus confronted the official asking him to show how what He had said was wrong and if he could not do that asking why he had hit Him.

     Do you want to be able to outsmart your enemies? Then listen to God’s word and follow His commands. God’s words are sweeter than honey and will bring joy and pleasure to those who listen to them. God’s word will provide light to our path in this world so that we do not stumble and fall. I am determined to live my life so that others will see that I agree with the psalmist when he says:

     The first of these proverbs is an important reminder. There is nothing I can add to what it says: