Month: July 2016

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1 CHRONICLES 15:1-16:36 | ROMANS 1:18-32 | PSALM 10:1-15 | PROVERBS 19:6-7

There is considerable detail afforded in these chapters that describes how David had the Ark brought in, had it established in a certain manner temporarily until the Temple is built, and appoints the Levites as the people who are to handle it and care for its maintenance.  Beyond all this, David also appoints musicians to sing praises to the Lord, and he himself composes one prayer, which is most likely one of the very first psalms that he pens. 

So beautiful is it in its simplicity of extolling the praises of the Almighty and in chronicling the long history of the Hebrew people, that I reproduce it here in its entirety:

⁸ Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. ⁹ Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. ¹⁰ Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. ¹¹ Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.  ¹² Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, ¹³ you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. ¹⁴ He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.  ¹⁵ He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, ¹⁶ the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. ¹⁷ He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: ¹⁸ “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”  ¹⁹ When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, ²⁰ they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. ²¹ He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: ²² “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”  ²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. ²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  ²⁵ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. ²⁶ For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. ²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.  ²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. ²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. ³⁰ Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.  ³¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” ³² Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! ³³ Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.  ³⁴ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. ³⁵ Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.” ³⁶ Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Turning next to our reading in the book of Romans, we find Paul outlining the many reasons in the utmost detail for the wrath of God to have descended upon the earth at varying times.  One thinks of the times of Noah and Lot when God’s wrath burned so deeply that we see evidence of God turning his face away from all humanity.  Paul speaks of the specific points of our weaknesses and ills that are abhorrent to God. 

He says:  ²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹ they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

We now turn to our psalm of the day, and find one in which David is waxing long and loud about the perceived injustice of God overlooking the evil-doers.  And yet, he is not quick to despair.  In these verses, he affirms God’s power and provision, as always:

¹⁴ But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

Finally, a couple of verses from the book of Proverbs that highlight the usual state of affairs with respect to the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’.  Solomon, the wise king of Israel observes:

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts. ⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives— how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.

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1 CHRONICLES 12:19-14:17 | ROMANS 1:1-17 | PSALM 9:13-20 | PROVERBS 19:4-5

Continuing in our reading in the first book of Chronicles, we find a detailed list of the number of fighting men from all the many tribes of Israel who supported David to make him the new king after the death of Saul.  There is also a somewhat elaborate account of the bringing of the Ark, an event that David was committed to carrying out. 

This is all quite fascinating in how this inanimate object that contained the tablets whereupon the finger of God had written out the ten commandments was the most revered object to the people.  Next, there is mention of David’s family– his many wives and children are mentioned by name. 

The impression one gets is that of a king becoming well-established and well-loved, and even feared among the region.  In fact, the chapter ends with these lines, ¹⁷ So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the LORD made all the nations fear him.

Turning next to our reading in the New Testament, we have now commenced a brand new book titled Romans, or more accurately, the Letter to the Romans. 

The previous book of Acts ends with an account of Paul being held as prisoner even as he awaits a trial, but beyond stating that he lived there under house-arrest albeit with some personal liberties intact, we do not know what exactly happened at the trial, if there was ever one.  It is speculated, therefore, that Nero, the Roman Emperor would have been the one to have had Paul executed.

But today, we begin one of the most famous letters ever written by Paul to the early churches in Rome.  These new bodies of believers scattered throughout the city of Rome needed guidance and clarity in what it meant to have become a believer of Jesus Christ.  Many were of Jewish origin, but still many were non-Jews, i.e., Gentiles, with whom Paul had an active preaching ministry.  Paul begins his letter introducing himself and identifying his audience as follows:

¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— ² the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures ³ regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, ⁴ and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁵ Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ⁶ And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

And he ends this first chapter with one of the more memorable lines oft-quoted, ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Next, we turn to our psalm for the day, and find one in which the warrior-king, David, affirms his great faith in God’s provision and protection in this verse:

¹⁸ But God will never forget the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

Finally, we have two verses from the book of Proverbs, each unrelated, and yet worthy of record and rumination.  One can only hope that the first one is not so frequent a phenomenon, i.e., that true friendship lasts even in the face of poverty.

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,
   and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.

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1 CHRONICLES 11:1-12:18 | ACTS 28:1-31 | PSALM 9:1-12 | PROVERBS 19:1-3

This chapter in the first book of Chronicles focuses on David and his ascension to the throne as king of Israel after Saul.  David conquers Jerusalem, and has with him his “mighty warriors”—men who, like David himself, have been endowed with supernatural strength. 

There is a long list of these men.  They are committed to David, and are instrumental in his victories and in the establishment of the kingdom.  Their dedication to their cause is reflected in the words of one of their leaders who says this to David:

“We are yours, David!
We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success, success to you,
and success to those who help you,
for your God will help you.”

Turning next to our continued reading in the book of Acts, we find that Paul and his party on the ship have been shipwrecked, and find themselves on the island of Malta.  It is said that the natives on the island afforded them much hospitality, and Paul in turn, offered what he best could:  prayers for their good health and well-being. 

It is said that Paul went into the house of one of the chief officials’ of the island and prayed for the recovery of his aged, ailing father.  This one incident leads to many others on the island to approach Paul for similar prayer and healing, and Paul readily obliges.

Three months later, they set out for Rome—their original destination, and although Paul is still held as prisoner, he is afforded some liberties in that he is allowed to stay with some of the Jewish believers in Rome while still under guard.  Straight-talker that he is, Paul shares his thoughts with the Jewish community there. 

He says to them,  “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. ¹⁸ They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. ¹⁹ The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. ²⁰ For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

The people are tolerant of him for the most part, but when Paul states his purpose in preaching to the Gentiles in order to fulfill the prophecies of old, his invocation of the prophets of old do not set too well with his audience. 

Paul quotes Isaiah in saying this:  “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁶ “‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
²⁷ For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

²⁸ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

It is said that Paul remained in Rome for two years all the while guarded by the Roman guard, as if in house arrest, but was allowed to preach and teach at will and without hindrance.

Turning now to our reading of the psalms, we find another psalm bursting with praise and thanksgiving.  I am always in deep admiration of David’s ability to exalt the name of the Lord in the manner in which he offers praise.  He says:

¹ I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

He goes on to state with unequivocal confidence these thoughts as well:

⁷ The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
⁸ He rules the world in righteousness
and judges the peoples with equity.
⁹ The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
¹⁰ Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Finally, one verse from the book of Proverbs which is significant food for thought.  How easy it is for us to discount the consequences of our own poor and willful choices, and accept no responsibility for them.

³ A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
   yet their heart rages against the LORD.