One Year Bible, July 15

1 CHRONICLES 19:1 - 21:30                                                                                             
THIS MEANS WAR: David's messengers were accused of being spies, then were humiliated, shaved and uncovered, and sent home. God used this incident to provoke war. This is a picture of the shameful treatment of Jesus' servants.  David/Jesus avenged His insulted servants!

WAR OF THE KINGS: The Ammonites, the Syrians and the Philistine giants were subdued. David stayed behind in Jerusalem and go into trouble. He SHOULD have been on the battlefield with his men.

SATAN PROVOKED DAVID:  In a fit of pride, David numbered his army. He had no reason to number them other than to show off or to bolster his own fragile ego.  To exaggerate the numbers, he included men under 20 years of age.  He ALREADY had victory all around.   GOD TRIES a man with opportunity. SATAN TEMPTS a man with the stimulus to sin.  MAN gives consent to his WILL and YIELDS to temptation and this brings accountability.

THE ALTAR: Ornan is the post-exilic pronunciation of Arunah.  David was directed to built the altar on the very spot where God's hand was stayed - the threshing floor, the place where God spared Isaac. David bought all 8 acres of t. Moriah.

RESPONSE:   David is human! We see him in these chapters as foolish, proud, tempted, suffering from unbelief, chastened, repentant, submissive, believing. We know he wasn't much of a father. He had a temper. His sins were always exposed and public knowledge. But he was always in pursuit of God! God used him, and loved him. David functioned like a priest as an intercessor and a worshipper. He wasn't shy about his love for God. He loved God extravagantly and openly.

ROMANS 2:25 - 3:8                                                                                                         
CIRCUMCISION: (Col 2:10-13) says that water baptism is NT circumcision.  Both are an outward sign of an inner act of the heart.   BOTH are a covenant sign of the cutting away of the flesh, the devil and the world in order to belong to Jesus.   If the inner work has not taken place, then the prodigals have a right to judge us because we are no better than they are!

ROMANS 2:28-29:  This is the proof text that Jewishness is not a fact of birth or nationality, and Paul proved it with Scripture.  Eph 2:11-13,19 tells us that the devil wants us to think we are "spiritual Gentiles" or outsiders because then we would have no covenant, no inheritance and no kingdom, and would be SECOND BEST.

THE LAW: The Church was not ”added" to God's plan, but the Law was! (Gal 3:17-25) The purpose of the Law is to restrain transgression and to shut us up to God.  It's occasion in our lives is to EXPOSE SIN and as a TRAINER AND GUIDE in our immaturity.  Paul's conclusion is that the only TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS is THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD BY FAITH.

In light of the fact that Gentiles - PRODIGALS - "new believers" - are going to fill the Kingdom, what advantage is it to be an "elder brother" - a long-time believer?              

We have the "oracles" (where God speaks to us: the Word, the Spirit, the Church, the prophets), and we have access to God's riches, goodness and presence.   But this is an advantage only if it has led to inner change. The "oracles" were meant to create faith for us to live in God's Presence, obeying God's voice.   Like the "elder brother" in Luke 15, (see yesterday's blog), we have access to all the Father has, but most of us have not taken advantage of it and are no better off than the prodigal.   And added to that, our hearts have hardened toward the prodigals, and we have broken the Father's heart!

What affect does our unbelief have on God's Word?                                           

God's Word is true whether we believe it or not.  Truth is unchangeable.  Man's unbelief negates faith, not the Word.  My behavior has nothing to do with God's character.  He is uneffected.  I am judged BECAUSE God is just and true, righteous and holy.  My living in UNtruth demonstrates how righteous God is by comparison. 

RESPONSE:   When I really understood who Paul was addressing in Romans, I could take it to heart. Many of us have been saved for a long time, and are no better off than unsaved people, other than the fact that we think we are going to heaven! All that the Father has given us is for us to build faith. When we go through tough times, Jesus' prayer is that we won't lose our faith (Luke 22:32)! We must go "from faith to faith"(Rom 1:17) - that is how we are changed!  We are to become more and more dependent on God - not less!  And so, Romans, tells us how to make our outward behavior line up with the inward changes.  A holy person is an INTEGRATED person - in agreement in his body, soul and spirit.

PSALM 11:1-7                                                                                                                    
The flesh, the SELF, the world-spirit of antichrist - whatever you want to call it - loves violence and has no regard to justice. The believer, the spirit-man doesn't run from trouble or pressure, but lives by the faith and energy of God. We have faith for the day of trouble, that though God may TRY His saints, He never forsakes or abandons us.

PROVERBS 19:10-12                                                                                                      
Luxury is a snare for a fool, who doesn't know how to handle it any better than a slave would know how to direct kings.

It is just plain good sense not to lose your temper.   Anger is self-righteous and controlling, and it makes the angry person look like a fool.  "Our glory" (rank, honor, splendor) is shown by how we don't even notice an insult!

RESPONSE: I really, really don't like to be around angry people.  They are so self-serving.  I should know!  I was waiting for things to come out ”FAIR"!  That isn't even Scriptural!  It wasn't fair to crucify Jesus!  It isn't fair to make Jesus pay for my sin!  It isn't fair to let me go to heaven while a nicer person goes to hell!  I am so glad that God isn't "fair"!  His glory is magnified because of his mercy and His long-suffering toward us.  Jesus demonstrated that we must become people who don't even GET angry!  We don't control anger or stuff it down.  We just don't GET angry!  Read the Sermon on the Mount - that's the first topic He covers!