Reading 1 – 1Ch 9:27

“They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning” (1Ch 9:27).

Each morning…

Manna was given (Exo 16:21). The house of the LORD was opened, and service was offered (1Ch 9:27). Fire was renewed on the altar (Lev 6:12). Incense was offered (Exo 30:7). Praise was offered (1Ch 23:30). Sacrifice was presented (2Ch 2:4; 13:11). God visits (Job 7:18). God is their arm (Isa 33:2). His compassions are new (Lam 3:23). The Philistines present themselves (1Sa 17:16). God silences the wicked (Psa 101:8). God dispenses justice (Zep 3:5). Rulers should administer justice (Jer 21:12).

Reading 2 – Eze 22

Jerusalem is a city of guilt, a city of bloods. It is said to them as it had been said to Cain: “Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Gen 4:10).

“Patriot as he was, Ezekiel was not, like some sincere patriots, blind to his country’s faults. His conscience and judgment were enlightened, and his emotional nature was rendered especially sensitive, so that a just and deep impression was made upon his mind by the contemplation of his countrymen’s errors and iniquities. Leaders of public opinion, teachers of the time, are ever in danger of flattering those among whom their lot is cast, with whom their interests are identified. Yet Ezekiel proves himself to have the true spirit of the prophet, who rises superior to this temptation, and whose motto is, ‘Be just, and fear not!’

“The catalogue of the people’s sins is both a long and an awful one. It suffices to mention these as boldly charged upon them by the faithful prophet of the Lord:

Idolatry; Violence and murder; Disregard for parents; Oppression of strangers, of the widows and fatherless; Profaning of the sabbath; Lewdness and vile indulgence of lust; Bribery; and Extortion.

“Was ever such an indictment brought against a community? The marvel is, not that the threatened judgment came, but that it was so long delayed.

“It certainly seems strange, all but incredible, that the highly favored Jerusalem should be famed among the very heathen for degradation in iniquity and moral debasement. But the language of Ezekiel is explicit; and he would be more likely to soften than to exaggerate the charge. Jerusalem a reproach, a mocking, infamous, defiled, full of tumult! How are the mighty fallen! The city of the great King, the seat of the temple of Jehovah, the home of the consecrated priesthood — infamous among the surrounding idolaters for flagrant violation of those very moral laws which the city was consecrated to conserve!” (Pulpit Commentary).

Reading 3 – Luk 19:45

“Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling” (Luk 19:45).

“The action of the Lord in cleansing the temple is often quoted as an example of righteous indignation. Yet in all the four records (Mat 21, Mar 11, Luk 19, John 2) it is nowhere stated that the Lord was angry. Certainly it was not righteous indignation which drove back those soldiers, ordered to arrest him (John 7:46); nor was it righteous indignation which made armed men retreat and fall to the ground in Gethsemane (John 18:6). Was not the same power at work in the temple incident? But even if we concede that the Lord might have been expressing righteous indignation, what right have we unrighteous ones to claim that we can also show righteous indignation? It is more likely that we are confusing righteous indignation with wrathful feelings of revenge, personal provocation, and wounded pride. Certainly the Lord never lost his temper. Every word and action was under complete control” (Bilton, “The Christadelphian” 114:218).

“There is much cause for righteous anger in the world; the travesties and misrepresentations of religion, the hypocrisy of politics, the perversions of justice, and the abomination of modern warfare. Cruelty and injustice often go hand in hand with professions of kindness and mercy; an affectation of extreme righteousness is often used as a cloak to cover dishonesty. There are still men who try to thwart good work while parading their excessive piety, whether in zeal for the Sabbath as in the first century, or in some more modem way. Yet these evils do not often excite a righteous anger. When we find an angry man he is not often protesting against the prevalent perversions of divine law. Far more frequently it is a matter of personal interests or personal feeling. The anger of worldly greed and pride is manifest every day while righteous anger is a rarity. It is not quite unknown however. Brethren have sometimes been stirred up by flagrant perversions of truth and have done some of their best work in a spirit of righteous anger. How good it would be if this was the only kind of anger ever known among us” (Islip Collyer, “Principles and Proverbs” 204).

Reading 1 – 1Ch 10:13,14

“Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” (1Ch 10:13,14).

What looks to be a contradiction may be explained by recourse to the meaning of the underlying Hebrew words. In 1Ch 10:14, we are told that Saul “did NOT inquire of the LORD”, whereas in 1Sa 28:6, we are told that he DID “inquire”. The explanation is fairly simple:

The word translated “inquire” in 1Ch 10:14 is “darash”, which signifies “to follow after, and especially to worship”. The word translated “inquire” in 1Sa 28:6 is “shaal”, which signifies “to request, or (even) to demand” (incidentally, it is related to the meaning of the name “Saul”).

So, Saul did “inquire” of the LORD in making requests or demands (1Sa 28:6), but he did NOT “inquire” of the LORD in the sense of truly seeking after Him (1Ch 10:14)! [However, Saul DOES “seek out diligently” (the Hebrew “darash”) the witch of Endor: 1Sa 28:7! Now there’s a sad commentary.]

Reading 2 – Eze 23

Eze 23 possesses some similarity with Eze 16. Whereas the main emphasis in Eze 16 is the actual idolatry of God’s people, however, the main emphasis in Eze 23 is their military and political alliances.

In this chapter the wicked alliances of Israel and Judah are represented under the metaphor of two harlots, disgusting in their lewdness. The “idolatries” of Israel, or the ten tribes — under the name of Oholah — were committed with the Assyrians (vv 5-8), and their punishment for them is declared (vv 9,10). Then the idolatries of Judah, or the two tribes — under the name of Oholibah — are represented as greater than those of the ten tribes (v 11); these idolatries were committed with the Assyrians (v 12) and the Babylonians (vv 13-18).

This chapter contains some verses that are about as graphic and revolting as anything to be found in the Bible. The purpose is not to titillate or to stimulate pleasurably, but to shock. Whether it be in portraying violence or sex, the prophets who wrote the Bible were not interested in staying out of trouble with the “censors”, or in retaining a “G” rating. Nevertheless, when sin is portrayed, there is — unlike with Hollywood — no uncertainty as to its sinfulness, nor any ambiguity as to the ultimate fate of those who practice such things and remain unrepentant.

Reading 3 – Luk 20:46

“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets” (Luk 20:46).

There are many kind of “robes” in the Bible, because men may play many roles, and — to some degree — it is true that “the clothes make the man”. For example, there is the long, flowing robe of pretension (Luk 20:46); the torn robe of sorrow (Job 1:20); the scarlet robe of mock kingship (Mat 27:28); the best robe of righteousness (Luk 15:22); and the white robe of the redeemed (Rev 7:9). We should ask ourselves periodically: which robe or robes are we wearing now?

Reading 1 – 1Ch 11:15-19

“Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, ‘Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!’ So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. ‘God forbid that I should do this!’ he said. ‘Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?’ Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it” (1Ch 11:15-19).

“There is something peculiarly touching and beautiful in the above scene, whether we contemplate the act of the three mighty men in procuring the water for David, or David’s act in pouring it out to the Lord. It is evident that David discerned, in an act of such uncommon devotedness, a sacrifice which none but the Lord Himself could duly appreciate. The odor of such a sacrifice was far too fragrant for him to interrupt it in its ascent to the throne of the God of Israel. Wherefore he, very properly and very graciously, allows it to pass him by, in order that it might go up to the One who alone was worthy to receive it, or able to appreciate it. All this reminds us, forcibly, of that beautiful compendium of Christian devotedness set forth in Phi 2:17,18: ‘Yea, and if I be poured out upon the sacrifice, and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all; for this cause ye also joy and rejoice with me.’ In this passage, the apostle represents the Philippian saints in their character as priests, presenting a sacrifice and performing a priestly ministration to God; and such was the intensity of his self-forgetting devotedness, that he could rejoice in his being poured out as a drink-offering upon their sacrifice, so that all might ascend, in fragrant odor to God” (CHM, cited by AW Pink).

There is, perhaps, a New Testament echo of this incident: the “three mighty men” of Christ were Peter, James, and John; like David’s mighty men, they desired the kingdom and glory for their master. But the apostles did not really understand that Jesus must first “pour out” his life (cp Mat 16:21-23; 17:4; 19:27; 20:20-23) before he could drink of the cup of joy in his Father’s kingdom. So Jesus, who turned water into wine (blood) at Cana (John 2:8), did in fact pour out the “water”, or blood, of his own body, on the cross — like David, he could not drink fully of the joy until he had first experienced the sorrow (Heb 12:2).

Reading 2 – Eze 24:18,19

“So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people asked me, ‘Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?’ (Eze 24:18,19).

“Ezekiel’s wife died. His heart was bleeding; but he received orders from his divine Master that he should not mourn, nor weep, nor make any sign of mourning whatever. It was a strange command, but he obeyed it. The people understood that Ezekiel was a prophet to them in all that he did; his actions did not concern himself alone. He was a teacher, not only by his words, but by his acts; so the people gathered round him, and said to him, ‘What is the meaning of this? It has some bearing upon our conduct; tell us what it has to do with us.’ He soon explained to them that, before long, they also would lose by sword, and pestilence, and famine, the dearest that they had, and they would not be able to have any mourning for the dead. They would be themselves in such a state of distress that the dead would die unlamented, the living having enough to do to mourn over their own personal sorrows. It was a terrible lesson, and it was terribly taught” (CH Spurgeon).

Reading 3 – Luk 21:19

“By standing firm you will gain life” (Luk 21:19).

“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised… we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved” (Heb 10:36,39).

“It is possible to ‘lose self’ for Christ’s sake, and by that very means to gain it. On the other hand, a man may gain great possessions and ‘forfeit himself’ (Luk 9:25, Moffatt). For encouragement in the trials which would come upon his friends in the days ahead Jesus promised that ‘in your patience ye shall win your souls.’ Similarly, in Luk 17:33, the one who shrank back for fear of losing his life, was actually losing himself. At the judgment seat of Christ many will be consigned to the second death because they have avoided suffering and in some cases death in an unwillingness to share the sufferings of Christ. But those of faith who for Christ’s sake have lost their lives will gain life, and self, for evermore” (John Carter, “Hebrews” 202).

Reading 1 – 1Ch 12:16-18

“Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. David went out to meet them and said to them, ‘If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.’ Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: ‘We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.’ So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands” (1Ch 12:16-18).

At this time David was probably in the stronghold of Ziklag, which the king of the Philistines had given to him. Here he received a welcome addition to his band. David was an exile; and it is not every man who cares to cast in his lot with a banished prince. He was an “outlaw”, and his king would have killed him with his own hand if he could have found opportunity. The many who were on Saul’s side, because of its convenience and ease, spoke very bitterly of David, and, wishing to curry favor with the king, they slandered him whenever possible and for the least offence. Few respectable people care to associate themselves with a person who is in evil repute, no matter whether he may be on the side of right. Many to whom he had done no harm were eager to betray David, and sell him into the hand of his enemy. So it has always been, that men seek their own gain, and do not really care to whom they “sell out”, so long as they get a good price. In these circumstances, it was no small thing for a band of men to unite themselves with a man with a price on his head.

And there were potential betrayers all around: the men of Keilah plotted to deliver him up to Saul. The fortunes of David were at a low ebb, and so when these men came to David they did a very brave thing — which he would be sure to remember in the later days of his triumph and glory.

At the present moment our Lord Jesus, the Son of David, is “in hiding”, so to speak. Among the men of this world he is not yet enthroned, and they care little for him — if they even give him a passing thought. Though he is “king” in God’s heaven, yet before the eyes of the majority of men he is still despised and rejected. His people are yet a feeble few, and often in serious straits themselves; his kingdom is ridiculed, his claims are scoffed at by the intelligentsia, and his yoke — though easy and light — is rejected. This is an age of blasphemy and of rebuke for our Lord the King. And so they are the brave and the few, the band of brothers who will stand with Christ in the day of his exile.

Men will be greatly rewarded in the future if they take up his cause now, and go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. Blessed are they who are not ashamed this day to bear the name of Christ, and to profess him in the sight and hearing of the world. They will be mine, he says, in the day when he assembles his “jewels”.

Reading 2 – Eze 25

In Eze 25 through 32, seven nations mock at Israel, and the hidden Glory of God strikes them down:

Ammon (Eze 25:1-7); Moab (Eze 25:8-11); Edom (Eze 25:12-14); Philistia (Eze 25:15-17); Tyre (Eze 26:1–28:19); Zidon (Eze 28:20-26); and Egypt (Eze 29–32).

Other prophecies of Gentile nations are usually grouped together: such as Isa 13–27 and Jer 46–51.

Reading 3 – Luk 22:59-61

“About an hour later another asserted, ‘Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.’ Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times’ ” (Luk 22:59-61).

In the “mirror” of Jesus’ face Peter saw himself — what he truly was; and he could not stand the sight.

*****

He looked at me. Right at me.

It was not a look of disgust or anger or even rebuke. It was a look that just said, “I know.”

The hours and days after that are so painful that even today they are hard to talk about. The shame, the fear, the utter sadness that overwhelmed me then comes flooding back in the memory today.

In the days following, I thought about how he had looked me in the face and said, “When you are converted, strengthen your brethren.” At the time, I thought: ” ‘WHEN I’m converted?’ What does he think I have been doing the last three and a half years? I gave up my family, my house and my business. Could anyone be ‘converted’ if it wasn’t me? What more could I possibly do?”

When he told me I would deny him, I was so brash and self-confident. Others may do that, I said, but I never would. So sure was I that this was true. So sure I was that I was the greatest disciple. So sure I was that mine was the place at his right hand. So sure I was that I would even die for him!

It was only a matter of hours really when he gave me the look. It wasn’t long, just a glance really. But how that look has changed my life.

A few weeks later by the lake, he asked me if I loved him. Not the kind of love that we might have for friends, but completely devoted love. A love that meant I would do anything for him. Remembering that look, all I could speak of was my affection for him. I could not go down that path again unless I was sure… completely sure of my love.

Now he is gone. It has only been a little over a month since that night, but what a month. I have begun to understand much of what he said that I did not understand before. Most of all, I have discovered that all of this is not about me, but him. It is not my glory that is important, but his.

I was so afraid that night, but not today. Today, I feel his strength rising up within me. They can mock me, beat me and even kill me. But they cannot take from me my faith and conviction. In the end, they cannot take my life but for a time.

So today I must speak. It is the feast day, so the temple will be filled. I must do what I did not do that night. I must proclaim him to be the Son of God. I must tell people that the Kingdom is coming. I must tell them that I am his servant. I must depend on his strength to get me through this because I have learned so well that this strength does not come from me.

I must remember the look.

(References: Luk 22:32,61-62; Mar 9:33-34; Joh 21:15-17; Act 2)

(Kyle Tucker)

Reading 1 – 1Ch 15:20,21

Some of the strange words of 1Ch 15:

“Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth” (v 20):

“Alamoth” is the plural of “alma”, which may mean: a hidden one, a covered one, or a virgin (Isa 7:14; Gen 24:43; Exo 2:8).

According to Thirtle, in his work “The Titles of the Psalms”, “Alamoth” appears as a subscription — or “postscript” of Psa 45 (not as it SEEMS to be: a superscription — or “introduction” — of Psa 46).

Probably this means that Psa 45 was assigned to be sung by a choir of maidens (1Ch 15:20), or else they provided accompaniment for it. Such a designation is appropriate to Psa 45, which was plainly a wedding hymn (Psa 45:9,14). The “maidens” described in the psalm (called also “kings’ daughters” and “honourable women”: v 9) are the counterpart of the “daughters of Jerusalem” or “Zion” in Song 1:5; 2:7; 3:5; etc.

And so there were, it is supposed, other psalms and temple songs that were especially composed and prepared for the “maidens’ choir”.

*****

“And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith” (v 21):

“Sheminith” is the plural of the Hebrew for “eight, or the eighth”. Possibly (this can only be guesswork!) it was used here as a reference to circumcision, performed on the eighth day (Gen 17:12; Lev 12:3; Luk 1:59; 2:21; Act 7:8; Phi 3:5). Since, of course, males only were circumcised, this may indicate a “male choir” — the counterpart of the “maidens’ choir”. And of course, other psalms and temple songs were especially arranged to be sung by the males.

Reading 2 – Eze 27

“The record of Tyre has a peculiar relevance for our day, for those areas in which she excelled and was the envy of the entire ancient world are precisely the fields in which every modern nation seeks superiority. But Tyre has a message for our age, and it is that riches without God are unable to satisfy the heart of man and often keep many from dependence upon God. Has not this spirit invaded the church, and does it not pervade the lives of too many Christians?” (Thomas Constable, “Expository Notes”).

Reading 3 – Luk 24:45

“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luk 24:45).

A man needs more than the printed page of the Bible and a good memory to make him wise to salvation. He needs a mind opened to give earnest heed to the heavenly message. He needs eyes opened to behold wondrous things out of God’s law. He needs Christ in his heart. And when this takes place, he steps by faith into a world in which no shadow of gloom or fear can isolate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. This then must be our faith. The resurrection of our Savior is more than a fact to believe in; it is also a reality to live by: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

Reading 1 – 1Ch 16:21,22

“He allowed no man to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: ‘Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm’ ” (1Ch 16:21,22).

The kings, so far as we know, were Pharaoh in Gen 12:17, and Abimelech king of Gerar in Gen 20:7; 26:11.

Who were the Anointed Ones? The fathers, along with Sarah, in the general sense of having been specially selected by God. And so God saw that, wherever the fathers went, they would be protected by His Providence, and if necessary by divine decree given to Gentile rulers.

This is the same point David was careful about regarding Saul: Never would he lift up a hand against the Lord’s anointed (1Sa 24:6,10; 26:11,23). Did David learn this psalm — and this attitude — from Samuel?

“Do my prophets no harm” is a quite remarkable addition to the Gentile account, yet strictly true: Both Abraham (Gen 22:8; 17:17; Rom 4:19) and Sarah (Gen 21:10,12; Gal 4:30) were “prophets”! And so also were Isaac (Gen 27:27-29) and Jacob (Gen 48:15-22; 49:1-27).

Reading 2 – Eze 28

“In his inaccessible and impregnable island fortress, the prince of Tyre mocked at any threat to his security. He was proud in his achievements; insolent in his challenge to others; wise in his own conceits. The king aspired to equality with God (v 2). In that, he followed the pattern of Adam in sinning and being ejected from the Garden of Eden. He is warned that he is but Adam (v 2) and the fate of Adam was to be his. He felt that he was the personification of wisdom and beauty — so was Adam (vv 4-12)! He believe that he was divine and glorious (Eze 28:2), but Adam was really that. He believed that he possessed divine wisdom (v 3), but Adam was taught by the Cherub (v 14). And as Adam sinned and was ejected from the Garden, so would the king of Tyre from his position because of his great sin (Eze 26:2). This is a dirge of great irony, satirical in the extreme, in which the record of the one great sin of Adam is used as a similitude of the one great mistake of Ithobal [the ruler of Tyre]. Figuratively, he had been in Eden because he reflected the sin of Adam; so has everybody who sins similarly (Eze 31:8).

“So the voice of the prophet sounded forth in judgement against the King of Tyre:

“Then follows:

“This chapter concludes the section on the dirge against Tyre” (GE Mansfield).

Reading 3 – Gal 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live” (Gal 2:20).

This means three things: (1) a man on a cross is facing in only one direction; (2) he is not going back; and (3) he has no further plans of his own; he is through with the pomp and pride and vanity of this life. Its chains are broken and its charms are gone.

“The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

In the most poignant personal expression Paul testifies to the moral force of the life and sacrifice of Christ when he writes that the Son of God “loved me and gave himself for me”. Nothing else can have the spiritual impact of this truth totally believed. Christ did not just die for ‘us’ as an anonymous group. The real, awe-inspiring wonder is that he died for us as a group of individuals, each of whom he loved personally. He died for each one of us. Had there been only one sinner, Christ would still have been willing to die. When each of us stands before the judgment seat he will be looking into the eyes of a man who surrendered his life, personally and individually, for him or her.

Reading 1 – 1Ch 17:16

“Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: ‘Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?’ ” (1Ch 17:16).

“When we take the lowest place and ‘seek not high things’ we need have no fear of falling. Pride is the destroyer of men’s souls. We rise in the balloon of our own self-esteem, only to fall to earth when our vanity is punctured. Most of our ‘taking offence’ and our super-sensitivity at criticism are but flowers which thrive in the garden of pride. The Man who became the world’s outcast and bore the scorn of a people who should have reverenced him, had no pride to lose. He took no offense. Having become the servant of all, he had taken the lowest place. From the height of heaven the Spirit of God came to his lifeless body in the tomb of Gethsemane and called him to come forth. ‘Friend, come up higher,’ the words of the Lord’s own parable, were exquisitely fulfilled in the Master himself. Exalted and given a name which is above every name, he received the blessing of immortality and was caught up to heaven to the presence of God the Father” (Harry Tennant, “The Man David” 35).

Reading 2 – Eze 29:3,4

“Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you great monster lying among your streams. You say, The Nile is mine; I made it for myself’ ” (Eze 29:3).

Like the king of Tyre and his people, Pharaoh and Egypt had also been guilty of pride. He had become like a great river monster (Heb “tannim”, probably a crocodile of which there were many in the Nile) because he had taken credit for the Nile River, the lifeblood of the nation. Rather than giving God thanks for this resource, the king had proudly claimed responsibility for it.

“This was [Pharaoh] Hophra’s [Gr ‘Apries’] arrogant self-image. Herodotus implied that Pharaoh Apries was so strong in his position that he felt no god could dislodge him. In his reign he sent an expedition against Cyprus, besieged and took Gaza (cf Jer 47:1) and the city of Sidon, was victorious against Tyre by sea, and considered himself master over Palestine and Phoenicia… This arrogance had also shown itself in an attempt to interrupt Babylonia’s siege of Jerusalem — an attempt thwarted by God” (Expositors’ Bible).

“But I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales. I will pull you out from among your streams, with all the fish sticking to your scales” (Eze 29:4).

The LORD promised to remove Pharaoh and his lieutenants and subordinate princes (the lesser “fish” clinging to him) from their land, as a fisherman pulls a crocodile out of the water with hooks. Normally people caught crocodiles by placing hooks in their jaws and then dragging them onto land where they killed them. In the delta region of Egypt, the Egyptians worshipped the crocodile as a god, Sebek, which they believed protected their nation (cf Eze 32:2; Psa 74:13; Isa 27:1; 51:9). Thus God promised to destroy Pharaoh, Egypt, and the god supposedly responsible for their protection.

Reading 3 – Gal 3:13

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ [Deu 21:23]” (Gal 3:13).

“Redeemed” is the Greek “exagorazo”, which literally means ‘to buy out of the agora, or marketplace’. This is one of the most powerful pictures, or parables, in the New Testament: that of the sinner as a “slave to Sin”, where “Sin” is personified as the powerful but ruthless Master to whom allegiance is owed — who brutalizes his “property” and gives it at last only “death”. “I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin” (Rom 7:14). In this metaphor Paul is recalling the words of Jesus: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (Joh 8:34).

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Rom 6:17,18). Christ has come into the “agora”, or marketplace, and purchased the sinner out of his bondage; now he has a new Master (Christ himself), and a new life.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.” In addition to being redeemed from sin and wickedness and the world and men (Tit 2:14; Heb 9:15; Rev 14:3,4), man was also redeemed from the Law of Moses (Gal 4:5), and from the “curse” of that Law (Gal 3:13).

But the Law itself was not evil (it was holy and just and good: Rom 7:12-14). However, the Law brought into focus and highlighted man’s sin — in effect, making him a “sinner”. Thus it came to stand — by metonymy (putting the cause for the effect) — for his sin.

By coming under the curse of the Law — more or less artificially, and in the manner of his death only — whilst living a perfectly righteous life… Christ effectively removed that curse, and made it meaningless. And thus he did the same for those who are “in Christ” also.

Reading 1 – 1Ch 18:1-3

“In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines. David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to him and brought tribute. Moreover, David fought Hadadezer king of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when he went to establish his control along the Euphrates River…” (1Ch 18:1-3).

This narrative is parallel to 2Sa 8.

David’s victories over the seven surrounding kingdoms (Zobah, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Edom, Ammon, Amalek) secure his own kingdom. In this they may be compared to the seven thunders of the Apocalypse — in which Christ’s kingdom subjugates the whole earth (Rev 10:3):

David first cleared Zion of enemies; then brought “ark” to Zion (in Last Days terms, this may signify the glorified saints being established in Jerusalem); and finally, the seven campaigns extend and secure the kingdom.

Reading 2 – Eze 30:4,5

“A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down. Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt” (Eze 30:4,5).

An enemy would invade Egypt, slay many of her people, take away her wealth, and tear down her national foundations. Her neighbor Ethiopia (Cush, Nubia) would despair when this happened because Ethiopia had strong ties to Egypt. Egypt’s other allies would also fall: Put (on the African coast of the southern Red Sea), Lud (Lydia in Anatolia), Arabia, and Libya (farther west on the Mediterranean coast of Africa). “Arabia” (Heb ha’arab) translates one pointing of the Hebrew text while “mixed people” (Heb ha’ereb) renders another. Men from Put, Lud, Arabia, and other countries served Egypt as mercenary soldiers (cf Eze 27:10; Jer 25:20,24; 46:9,21), and they may be the “mixed people” in view, if that is the correct reading. The Judeans who had fled to Egypt from the Babylonians would have suffered too, and they would have been part of this “mixed people.”

Reading 3 – Gal 6:1

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently” (Gal 6:1).

“It has been said that the Christian army is the only army in the world that shoots its wounded. By this comment, it is implied that Christians attack and spiritually slay those who are already in a death struggle with sin. All too often this is true.

“It is a tricky thing to uphold the standards that God has set up for His people. On the one hand, we want to be kind, loving and forgiving. On the other hand, we have very specific examples of behavior which are not to be tolerated within the body of Christ.

“Too many times, it is a matter of approach. We see our brethren engaged in some act of sin. We jump on our white horses and gallop in to tell them that what they are doing is wrong. The problem is that most of them already know what they are doing is wrong; they simply lack the faith to stop doing it. It is like telling someone they are sick without telling them how to get well or better yet helping them get well. James comments on this attitude when he says ‘…one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?’ It may feel like we are providing some valuable service in pointing out their malady and then riding off into the sunset, but we are in fact providing little value at all. If they don’t get better, we get out the guns of withdrawal to put them out of OUR misery. In an ideal scenario, we need to roll up our spiritual shirtsleeves and build up their faith enough so that they can conquer their sin.

“There are three general kinds of sins which fall into the category of withdrawal in Scripture (examples are found in but not limited to 1Co 5, Gal 5 and Tit 3). They are unrepentant immorality, teaching false doctrine and creating a schism in the ecclesia. Another mistake we make in this area is widening or narrowing the categories. These areas have been clearly delineated for a reason. They are not for us to change or apply in a flippant fashion.

“There are certain principles in the Bible which necessarily need to be balanced. Some virtues, like love, have no need of balance. You cannot love too much. You cannot have too much balance. Other virtues, such as justice, need a proper balance. Justice is properly balanced by mercy. Both justice and mercy are virtues. However, both justice and mercy not tempered by each other can be faults. Justice left to itself is unmerciful and harsh. Mercy left to itself is anarchistic and permissive. Balanced and blended together with God’s word as our guidepost, justice and mercy are kind, fair and righteous.

“How can we judge whether we are balancing both justice and mercy? You can certainly get closer to the answer by asking yourself the following questions: How would Jesus handle this situation? Am I doing everything I can to help this individual overcome his problem (and not just pointing it out)? Am I looking out solely for the best interests of the ecclesia and the individual, or are other considerations playing into this? Are the Scriptures clear on this matter so that the sin is indisputable, or is this a matter of conscience? Does the individual acknowledge or deny his problem? Is there any clear Scriptural precedent on how to resolve this problem? Am I being hypocritical by involving myself with something equally abhorrent that may not be known to others? Is my approach helpful and humble?

“In the end, we want Christ to be glorified by whatever we do. We need to remember that without qualification the greatest way to glorify Christ is to restore our erring brethren in the spirit of meekness and truth. ‘Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted’ ” (Kyle Tucker).

Reading 1 – 1Ch 21:25

“So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site” (1Ch 21:25).

Is there a discrepancy between 2Sa 24:24 and 1Ch 21:25? No. The difference in prices may be resolved in this way: the price of the threshing floor alone was 50 shekels of silver (2Sa 24:24), while the price of the entire “site” or “place” (that is, the holy place or sanctuary) of mount Moriah — where the threshing floor was located — was 600 shekels of gold (1Ch 21:25).

Reading 2 – Eze 31:3-9

“Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage. The waters nourished it, deep springs made it grow tall; their streams flowed all around its base and sent their channels to all the trees of the field. So it towered higher than all the trees of the field; its boughs increased and its branches grew long, spreading because of abundant waters. All the birds of the air nested in its boughs, all the beasts of the field gave birth under its branches; all the great nations lived in its shade. It was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor could the pine trees equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches — no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty. I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God” (Eze 31:3-9).

Assyria is compared to a cedar of Lebanon, which is an emblem of earthly magnificence. It is the favorite tree in Bible imagery to express splendor. In this respect it could be taken as a symbol of a great triumphant empire such as that of Assyria. There is a “splendor” of this world; we should not be surprised when we see the wicked flourishing like green trees (Psa 37:35). They may even attain to the proportions of the cedar of Lebanon.

The cedar was known for its:

Size: Assyria was a big empire; its worldly success was immense. Altitude: the cedar is not only broad-spreading, but it also towers high. There was an unchecked pride in its worldly success. Persistence: the cedar is green in winter. By clever devices unscrupulous people may escape many of the troubles of the true servants of God. Fragrance: it cannot be denied that there is a certain fascination in worldly splendor.

There are points in which worldly magnificence surpasses the visible excellence of spiritual goodness — “no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty” (v 8). The cedar appears huge before the eye of an observer, while the vine seems to cower feebly among the rocks. Yet it is the vine that yields refreshing fruit.

There is a striking aspect in worldly success. Spiritual achievements do not arrest attention in the same way, because they are spiritual. Yet God looks not to worldly greatness, but to spiritual success.

Also, the cedar is unpruned. It grows in wild, rank luxuriance upon the slopes of Lebanon. But the trees in the “garden of the Lord” are carefully pruned, “because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son” (Heb 12:6; cp Pro 3:11,12). Life for the “vines”, now, may be far more restrictive and difficult than life for the “cedars” — but in the end, it will be infinitely more rewarding.

Reading 3 – Eph 2:8-10

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8,9).

The word “grace” (Gr “charis”) means, most literally, a gift. In Bible terms, it is commonly associated with the gift of mercy, or the forgiveness of sins, which God has provided for believers in His Son. None of us can earn salvation; we are saved by “grace”, which is “the gift of God”, and not by our own works (Eph 2:8,9).

Being saved by God’s grace, we are God’s “workmanship” (Eph 2:10). He has made us all that we are; we have not made ourselves. Nevertheless, He has “created (us) in Christ Jesus” for a purpose — to do good works (v 10). And so, with God working in us in a mysterious sort of partnership we can scarcely comprehend, we do good works — not to earn or merit eternal life, but in gratitude for the grace or gift already conferred upon us.

According to Paul, then, salvation is not of, or by, works (Eph 2:9), but it is UNTO works (v 10) — which makes a world of difference. Works are not the means by which we are saved — that is grace! But works are (and must be) the results of the salvation brought to us by Christ. We must not just obey God as slaves who expect to earn eternal life. Rather, we must obey Him as loving children, offering the only reasonable response of hearts motivated by thankfulness. We love Him because He first loved us (1Jo 4:19).

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10).

We are indeed saved by the grace of God, through faith. But the result of such salvation is not just the same old creature with a new name — it is God’s “workmanship… created… to do good works.” Hence the strong connection and interaction between faith / grace, on one hand, and works, on the other — whilst not implying that we are in any degree saved by our works!

Reading 1 – 1Ch 22:8

“But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight’ ” (1Ch 22:8).

It almost looks as though David is being punished because he had been a warrior. But Solomon’s words in 1Ki 5:3 may put this in better perspective: “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet.”

That is, until his death, David had to devote most of his time to fighting his enemies and expanding his kingdom to its rightful bounds. This was a necessity, and David — a man of faith — did as the LORD required. But David was not GUILTY for “shedding much blood” in wars, because he was fighting the wars God had commanded.

Reading 2 – Eze 32:15

“When I make Egypt desolate and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the LORD’ ” (Eze 32:15).

“The oracles against the nations in Eze 25 — 32 were originally delivered to the people of Judah. Although the words written seem to be solely for those particular nations, they are foremost for the people of Judah in Jerusalem and Babylon and serve at least three purposes. First, these oracles reveal God’s judgment against the nations that either mocked or aided in Jerusalem’s fall [cf Gen 12:3: “whoever curses you I will curse”]. Second, as with both the king of Tyre and the Pharaoh of Egypt, God would throw them down from their self-elevated positions of power — there is no room for such arrogance and pride in God’s creation. Third, the oracles are essentially a dismantling of the gods of the nations, which is in turn a dismantling of the gods Judah had begun to rely wrongly upon, and the proclamation that Yahweh is the one and only true God for all nations… the phrase ‘know I am the LORD’ occurs nineteen times. The primary purpose of these oracles is that everyone should come to ‘know the LORD’ ” (David Cooper, cited in “Expository Notes”, by Thomas Constable).

Reading 3 – Eph 4:14,15

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Eph 4:14,15).

“Be a ‘man of God’ — externally and internally: to the world, and to yourself. Bring everything you do into harmony with this holy pattern. Make it your life’s goal and ideal. Eschew everything that is inconsistent with it. Be real, and solid, and genuine all through. Man is not true man at all, unless he becomes a man of God. This is his divinely intended glory and destiny. Grow up unto God — this is the purpose for which we are given the wonderful gift of life. Keep growing, keep learning, keep developing. So many are content to stop growing, and to just vegetate — to be childish and ignorant and immature all their lives. It is a tragedy, when the human mind and character have such incredible potentials for divine development” (GVG).