One Year Bible, May 29

2 SAMUEL 14:1-15:22                                                                                                 
ABSALOM:  Absalom represents the spirit of antichrist or the natural mind (Rom 8:7). Joab tricked David into letting Absalom come back to Jerusalem, but under house arrest. Absalom (like the natural man, the FLESH) was selfish, arrogant, rude, proud, haughty, insolent, self-willed, bitter, and ignored his own crimes. He took advantage of David's love.

ABSALOM'S BETRAYAL: David is 56, Solomon is 6, and Absalom is 24 years old: Absalom was real handsome and he undermined David's judiciary system (almost nonexistent) and so "stole the hearts of the men of Israel". Absalom made HEBRON his capital and forced David out of Jerusalem. AHITHOPHEL, Bathsheba's grandpa and David's counselor, was actually the behind-the-scenes ring-leader of the rebellion (Satan/Judas). Like Judas, Ahithophel hung himself.

CROSSING THE KIDRON:  Psa 3 tells us that when David fled, God went with him. KIDRON means "deep darkness"  and represents the boundary between light and dark. It flowed between Mt. Zion and the Mt. of Olives. "Over the brook KIDRON" is GETHSEMANE. (John 18:1).   (2Sam 15:23-37) After crossing the Kidron and before David climbed Mt. Olivet to Gethsemane he sent the Ark back to Jerusalem (represents the sending of the Holy Spirit). Then he and his followers climbed Mt. Olivet, barefoot and head covered in shame, weeping as they climbed. In Gethsemane, David learned he had been betrayed by Ahithophel. When he reached the summit, David WORSHIPPED, even though the Ark wasn't there. He may have written Psalm 22 at that time. Also Psalm 41 and 62-63.

RESPONSE:   It is almost as if David's experience were a dress rehearsal for Jesus!  "And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." (Luke 24:44) We have ALL been betrayed by someone close to us and know the soul-pain that comes with it. But to compound that, David's own son betrayed him too!  His house was troubled because of his own sin.  But, God was with him anyway.  Psa 4 was also written during this time and in it, David reminded himself to keep his feelings between himself and God, and to trust God completely. "But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him." (Psa 4:3)

JOHN 18:1-24                                                                                                                   
ENDURING THE "DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL" - OUR EXAMPLE
From Philippians 2 we learn that every one of us passes through the cross with Jesus as our example.  In these next four chapters, we learn HOW to "lose our life", so that we can gain "THE LIFE"  (His, Gr: zoe) (Matt 10:39, etc).  From Phil 2, we know that Jesus VOLUNTARILY gave up His rights and privileges, His dignity, and His reputation.  So we must Never defend ourselves; never demand our own way; never complain. 

CHAPTER 18 - THE GARDEN: OBEDIENCE AND SUBMISSION.  In the Garden of Eden, the "first Adam" (1 Cor 15:45) was rebellious and disobedient.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, the "last Adam" (1 Cor 15:45) was submission and obedient.  It was man's worst vs God's Best. The Jews were afraid of Jesus. Pilate was afraid of the Jews. And Jesus was afraid of nobody. He had placed Himself in the Father's hands and trusted Him fully. 

TRUTH: (v.37) Jesus was born to bear witness to "THE TRUTH".  Pilate asked what is TRUTH?  Today, TRUTH is seen as the root of bigotry and intolerance and prejudice, because Absolute Truth is binding on everyone the same whether they believe it or not!  Truth is Ultimate Reality, and God's glory is the Ultimate Reality. Reality is total indifferent to whether you believe it or not.  No one has ever yet made a BELIEF true by believing it.  Truth is totally unyielding to belief or tradition or even reasoning.  So, what is "THE TRUTH"?

(1)  "And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1 John 5:6-7)  The Spirit is Truth, and since they AGREE, then so is the Father and the Word.

(2) "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:17)  God's Word is THE TRUTH.

(3) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)  Jesus is THE TRUTH.

(4)  "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) So, Jesus, the Word and the Spirit are the GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. 

Now can I answer the question? The glory of God is "THE TRUTH" - the Ultimate Reality. This is why the "Spirit of Truth" glorifies Jesus and the Father (John 16:13-14). This is why the real mark of a new Believer is that he SEES God's glory (His goodness and greatness). (2 Cor 3:14-16; 4:4) This glory is all through the earth and in heaven too! (Psa 148:13; Mt 24:30; Num 14:21).  His glory is ABSOLUTE. 

RESPONSE:   I believe Pilate is just minutes away from going bonkers.  He is not really interested in Truth. Truth was standing right in front of him. The only Person in this whole scenario with any dignity and majesty is Jesus. The rest of them are pitiful.   In His submission to death, Jesus was the only One with any class.  His acts were totally VOLUNTARY. He was a SACRIFICE, not a VICTIM. If He had not GIVEN HIMSELF, they would not have been able to kill Him.  In the face of such horrible hypocrisy and hatred and hostility, how many of us would be able to stand silent?  Or to come off classy?   We must be about the business of manifesting TRUTH to the world.  Even though the world denies Truth and embraces relativism.  Just because they "believe" it, doesn't make it so!  "What's true for me" - is actually a "belief", NOT "truth".  Don't confuse the two. 

PSALM 119:97-112                                                                                                               

MEM V.97-104: The mem is also the number 40. Forty is the number of trial and testing, proving time. This portion of Psa 119 is about proven wisdom.  And so he has more "understanding" ("proven wisdom") than his "enemies", "teachers", "elders". The mem is also the pictograph for flowing water. And so the words, "rain, flood, bath, wells, baptism, water" all begin with mem in the Hebrew language.  Water is a universal symbol of the source of LIFE.  Jesus is "the fountain of living waters" (Jer 17:13).

NUN V.105-112: The nun is the number 50. Fifty is the number for Penticost and deliverance.  It is a pictograph of a fish because the fish is so prolific and the NUN is the symbol of posterity, perpetuity and eternality.  "I have inclined mine heart to perform Thy statutes always, even unto the end."  The Word of God never changes and "they are the rejoicing of my heart."

PROVERBS 16:8-9                                                                                                              
GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY: I've heard a saying that goes: "Man plans, God laughs."  I don't think that is what this verse means.  I think it means that we can make plans, but that God ultimately decides how, when, and what things will take place.  HOWEVER, that is what we want, isn't it?

RESPONSE:  I think it is interesting to note that in Psa 119 we can learn wisdom and knowledge and gain understanding by the Word, by the Spirit, and also by our circumstances, especially the SUFFERING ones!  When we are "afflicted" we take God's Word to our hearts, to our minds, to our footsteps.  Under pressure, sickness, disappointments, losses, we take all God has said and actually LEARN wisdom, knowledge, and GAIN understanding.  I believe that  "understanding" comes by actually EATING the "honey".