One Year Bible, May 23

2 SAMUEL 2:12-3:39                                                                                                      
DAVID'S NEPHEWS: Zeruiah, David's sister, had three sons who all served David: JOAB, who became David's Commander-in-chief; ABISHAI, who was leader of the "Mighty Men", and ASAHEL, the youngest.

ABNER:  Saul's general, and then Ishbosheth's general.  Abner and Joab decided to let the "young men" in their armies to "fight it out".  When it turned to a lethal "free-for-all", Abner ran off and Asahel chased him.   Abner ended up killing the young, inexperienced Asahel. 

THE "LONG WAR":  House of David grew stronger and stronger.  The house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.  David inherited 12 bands of ragtag nomads!  Something like what the Holy Spirit inherited when He got us!

DAVID, THE POLYGAMIST:  David had six sons, all born by a different wife at Hebron.  Then, when ABNER defected to David, David demand that he bring Michal, his first wife, with him back to David!

JOAB:  Believed Abner to be a "spy" for the other side.  He murdered Abner to avenge his brother, Asahel.   David cursed Joab and feigned anger to protect his throne from the Israelites who might try to avenge Abner.

RESPONSE:   This reads like a soap opera!  All this intrigue, mistrust, scheming, killing, multiple wives, tempers, plots, jealousy.  My, my!  And it gets worse!  Welcome to the Kingdom!  There's room for everyone!  But you have to come clean!   And you have to pursue God in all this!

JOHN 13:1-30                                                                                                                    
John chapters 13-17 are about Jesus' Personal Ministry: They contain the secrets of Jesus' life, and how to live in this new relationship with the Godhead.

CHAPTER 13: A NEW COMMANDMENT: (V.34) "love one another as I have loved you." Chapter 13 contains Jesus' demonstration of what that means. He loved BOTH His betrayers. He washed their feet - an act of forgiveness, cleansing and restoration. The foot-washer gives up all grudges, hate, anger and unforgiveness. The person getting the foot-wash receives love, forgiveness and the reconciliation.  This is a depth of love that sacrifices ourselves for one another.

RESPONSE:   Here is why some people never find happiness - and why others are brimful and bubbling over with joy(v.17).  They have learned how to wash feet! They forgive readily and quickly, and usually SECRETLY!   They don't parade the offenses that they "had to forgive", as if they had done something wonderful!   They wash feet instead. They are more concerned with the one they serve. I want to wash more feet secretly - don't you?  That's what I would want someone to do for me.  Foot-washing is humbling ONLY if you DON'T let go of offenses. Otherwise IT IS A JOY! 

PSALM 119:1-16                                                                                                                   
WORD ABOUT THE LIVING WORD: The longest chapter in the Bible. It is also the crown jewel.  The chapter is an acrostic of alphabetical hymn.  It has 22 stanzas of 8 verses each, and each of the 8 verses begins with that same Hebrew letter.  Every verse mentions the Word of God by some term, except for 90,121,122, and 132: "Way, testimonies, precepts, commandments, word, law, judgment, righteousness (Truth), statute, words".

ALEPH: V.1-8  The Undivided heart: "Blessed are the undefiled" (entire, complete, integrity) who walk..."   Who act according to the Word of God.   Who recognize that all of life is sacred and press to know God's power and God's presence. ("with their whole heart")

BETH: V.9-16  Stored Treasure: We want to know and understand the laws that govern the spirit so we can live - not just collecting information. "How shall a young man cleanse his way?"  by storing the Word in our hearts (our treasure chest) - so our obedience is not just external, but from the heart.   This will produce steadfastness in the midst of ungodliness and troubled times.  God's "judgments" are His declared will.

RESPONSE:   Each Hebrew letter also stands for a number, AND it is a picture of something. Hebrew comes from ancient hieroglyphics that were reduced down to a few strokes eventually, but that started out as actual figures. The ALEPH is an ox-head, a symbol of the dependable, sacrificial servant.  It is also the number one. The BETH is an enclosure like a house or home, and also the number two.  In this case, it is the treasure-box.  Psalm 119 was probably written by David as a young man - obviously Word-intoxicated! 

PROVERBS 15:29-30                                                                                                            
Smiles are powerful! And a good word is powerful medicine!