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2nd July 2007 Matthew 12: 38-end 1 Samuel 25: 1-22 ‘Shall I take my bread and my water and the meat that I have butchered for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I do not know where?’ (1 Samuel 25:11). The passage begins with the mention of the death of Samuel. There was no chance of reconciliation between David and Saul once Samuel had died. David moves into the wilderness of Maon. Here a rich man named Nabal had a lot of cattle. His wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings. David and his men hear that Nabal is shearing his sheep. Sheep shearing was a time of festive celebration (vs. 8) because they would know how the flocks had fared during the recent grazing. David and his men had protected these flocks out in the hills while they were grazing, though Nabal had not explicitly requested for this protection. David
sends ten of his young men to Nabal and asks him to give whatever he can
as pay back, because they had not mistreated the shepherds nor were
there any flock missing. Nabal dismisses David and his servants as a run
away slave and his followers, not recognising that David would be the
future king of Israel. As his name suggests he was a fool and a good for
nothing fellow. He questions, ‘Shall I take my bread and the meat that
I have butchered for my shearers and give it to the men who come from I
do not know where?’ He was ungrateful for all that David and his men
had done for him and had failed to recognise who David will be. His wife
Abigail on the contrary is sharp and intelligent, and recognises that
David was going to be the next king. She then diffuses the Prayer: Lord grant us your discernment to know Your people and to be grateful for all that others do for us. Amen.
3rd July 2007 Matthew 13: 1-23 1 Samuel 26: 1-20 ‘But the LORD forbids that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go’ (1 Samuel 26:11). As Saul seeks the life of David, the Ziphites report to Saul, that David and his men are hiding on the hill of Hakilah which faces Jeshimon. Saul immediately rallies up his people and seeks to search him out and reaches the hill of Hakilah. David also sends his scouts and finds out that Saul has indeed come for sure. While Saul and Abner the commander of the army were lying down inside the camp, David and Abishai go at night to the camp. There they find Saul lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. Abishai looks at the circumstances and thinks that this is a golden opportunity that God has given to David to strike back at his enemies. However, David responds by saying, ‘The Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed, get the spear and the water jug that are near his head and let’s go.’ David was not willing to deal with Saul even though he had opportunities to kill him. He knows fully well that Saul was God’s anointed and he would rather have God deal with him than to take justice into his own hands. Very often we are very keen for revenge if someone has hurt us. David shows us that it is much better for the Lord to be the judge of his chosen people than for us to mete out judgements. He believes that God is a righteous judge and that he would judge all alike on the final day. Prayer: O Lord help us to believe that You are a just God and that You will work out Your justice in your time. Amen.
4th July 2007 Matthew 13: 24-43 1 Samuel 28 - 3 end Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ ‘I am in great distress,’ Saul said. ‘The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do’ (1 Samuel 28:15). Saul has gone to a witch at Endor to bring up the spirit of the prophet Samuel in order that he may have guidance. Samuel had earlier prophesied that the kingdom will be given to David. By going to the medium at Endor Saul has merely given himself a preview of his own impending fate as was prophesied earlier by Samuel (1 Sam 15:22-23). His present attempts to get prophetic guidance has failed (vs. 6) and therefore now resorts to necromancy, the radical opposite of prophecy, which was explicitly forbidden for the Israelites and one which he himself firmly endorsed (Deut. 18:9-22). Saul’s continued disobedience and deliberate rejection of Yahweh’s word makes Yahweh turn away from him. Saul had been rejected as King by Yahweh and the kingdom was to be given to David. Saul now desperately wants prophetic guidance as to what he should do. Many a time we find ourselves in a similar situation. Like Saul God may have called us for a specific role of leadership, but if we take that role for granted and lead our lives as we wish, then God will hold us accountable. We have been given God’s word to make it clear as to what God expects of us, yet we deliberately disobey. Persistent disobedience to the word of God will only bring judgment on us. God gives us a long time to repent and to turn towards him, but if we are bent on disobeying him and are persistent in doing evil, then the Lord will turn away form us as he did with Saul. Prayer: Lord help me to turn away from my sinful ways before you turn away from me. Amen.
5th July 2007 Matthew 13: 44-end 1 Samuel 30: 1-25 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God (1 Samuel 30:6). David and his men were in Aphek where the Philistines were at war with the Israelites. David was with the Philistine king Achish wanting to fight against the Israelites but the commanders of the Philistine army did not agree to that proposition. So David and his men were sent back. As they came to Ziklag which was about 96 km from Aphek, they found that the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag and had taken away their wives and children. The Bible records for us that these strong men wept aloud until they had no strength to weep (vs. 4). Not only did that happen, they were also thinking of stoning David because of the loss of their sons and daughters. In the midst of all this David found strength in the Lord his God. David seeks God’s guidance in pursuing the Amalekites through the ephod of the high priest which contained the oracular devices of the Urim and the Thummim which were consulted for the purpose of obtaining decisions. Once he is given the go ahead through it, he pursues the Amalekites with six hundred of his men. Some of the men were too exhausted and they chose to stay back half way through at the Besor Ravine. David and the remaining four hundred men pursue the Amalekites and with the help of an abandoned Egyptian slave they are able to track down the raiding party. The Amalekites are defeated and the wives and children are saved. May God help us to find strength in him in our moments of distress as David did. Prayer: May your strength and guidance Lord see me through moments of extreme distress. Amen.
6th July 2007 Matthew 14: 1-12 2 Samuel 1: 1-16 David asked him, ‘Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’ (2 Samuel 1:14) David
and his men had opportunities to kill Saul on previous occasions but
David constantly kept reminding himself that Saul was the Lord’s
anointed and that the Lord would deal with him in his own way, and in
his own time. He was not going to take advantage of circumstances that
seemed most suitable to get rid of Saul. Saul, his three sons and his
armour bearer are killed in the battle with the Philistines. In 1 Sam
31:4, we are told that when Saul was critically wounded, he requests his
armour bearer to run his sword through him to hasten his death. The
armour bearer refuses this request and then Saul kills himself by
falling on his sword. When the armour bearer saw that Saul was dead he
too kills Later an Amalekite comes to David and says that he has escaped from the Israelite camp to come and give him the news that Saul and Jonathan were dead. He claims that he happened to be on Mount Gilboa, where Saul was leaning on his spear and called out to him. Saul, on finding that he was not a Philistine but an Amalekite, asked him to run his sword through him as he was on the throes of death. The young man says, ‘so I stood over him and killed him’. He had brought Saul’s crown and arm-band to David. It seems to be that the Amalekite is claiming responsibility for something that he never did, in expectation of a reward from David (cf 1 Sam 31:4). David is upset that an Amalekite had the audacity to slay the Lord’s anointed and therefore punishes him with his own life. Lies and deceit will take us nowhere. Our own lies and deceit will entangle us to such an extent that we will inflict judgment on ourselves. Prayer: Lord help me to be aware that you are a just God and you will deal with your people in your time. Free me from the web of deceit and lies. Amen
7th July 2007 Matthew 14: 13-end. 2 Samuel 2: 8-end Abner called out to Joab, ‘Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?’ (2 Samuel 2:26) There is a civil war between Israel and Judah. Ishbosheth son of Saul was made the king of Israel, whereas the house of Judah followed David. Abner and Joab the respective commanders decide that twelve men from each side would fight each other. All twenty four of them are killed and then the battle rages on between these two groups. Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s men. Abner is on the run and is hotly pursued by Asahel the brother of Joab. Abner tries to dissuade Asahel from pursuing him and asks him to turn away particularly because of the respect he had for Joab. However, Asahel pursues, and Abner thrusts the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach with his brute strength and kills him. On seeing this Joab and Abishai the two brothers of Asahel pursue Abner and the sun was setting. The men of Benjamin also rallied around Abner and protected him. Abner then shouts from the top of a hill as to whether the sword must devour forever and asks Joab to stop pursuing his own brothers. Israel and Judah were the same covenant people. They were all brothers and sisters within the covenant family, but here there was strife among them. Family feuds tend to become really bad when it comes to matters of property or land. The relationships which are so close to us tend to break up into pieces. In many instances, it has lead to murder and life long enmity. The sword has devoured forever and has ended in bitterness. God calls us today to take stock of our relationships particularly within the immediate family. Are we in enmity with our brother or sister? Have we been pursuing somebody close to us either by litigation or by force? God calls us to stop this act and mend these relationships. Prayer: Lord help me not to pursue my sister or my brother with evil intent. Help me to relent of this evil. Amen.
8th July 2007 Luke 9: 18-27 Daniel 3: 13-28 Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23). Jesus is having a discourse with his disciples and he asks ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ and ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answers immediately that ‘you are the Christ of God.’ Jesus then teaches them that he must be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. He also tells them that whoever wanted to be his follower needed to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him. Jesus is in other words telling them, that those who confess that Jesus is the Christ must be ready to suffer. The followers of Jesus cannot expect the path that Jesus trod to be a bed of roses. For Jesus it was the way of extreme suffering and death, the way of the cross. We as his followers are called to walk in that path. Jesus goes on to teach them that whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for the sake of Jesus will save it. Jesus tells them and us that it is no use labouring hard, working 24x7 and gaining the profits of the world, when we lose our very self in the bargain. We are called to keep Jesus as the centre of our focus. Everything else needs to revolve around it. If we pursue only profits and have no time for God then we will lose our very life. God calls us to walk after him as his children in the path that he himself has trod. This path entails denial of the self and facing the cross. We may all not end up being crucified, but we will all face opposition and suffering. But we are not alone as God has assured us the presence of his Holy Spirit as we go through these trials. Prayer:
Lord help me to keep my eyes fixed on the cross and face suffering for
the sake of your son Jesus. Thank
9th July 2007 Matthew 15: 1-20 2 Samuel 3: 22-end ‘And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!’ (2 Samuel 3:39). Israel and Judah were at war with each other. Abner who is the commander for the Israelites recognizes that David has become a powerful leader and is keen to switch sides since he himself has a weak leader in Ish-bosheth. Abner along with twenty of his men meet King David and they are given a feast. Abner then speaks on behalf of the Israelites saying that they were willing to be united with Judah again under the leadership of David. David and Abner then enjoy the feast which probably has covenantal significance. Abner then leaves David in peace to fulfil the task that was at hand. Meanwhile Joab the commander of Judah and his men had just returned from a raid and had heard about the peace pact with Abner. He goes to David and says that Abner should not have been left alive as he had only come to find out the king’s movements. Joab does not tell David what he is about to do, but goes out and sends messengers to Abner asking him to come back. On the way back Joab murders Abner in revenge for the murder of his brother Asahel. Joab also probably felt insecure that if the kingdoms were united then Abner would probably take his place. All this led to the treachery and murder that he was engaged with. David then publicly mourns for Abner and curses Joab and asks the Lord to ‘repay the evil doer according to his evil deeds’. We too can easily get entangled in this web of treachery and murder when we feel insecure or when others have done something against us. May we allow the Lord to repay evil doers rather than taking it upon our own hands. Prayer: Lord help me not to get entangled in the web of revenge treachery and murder even if someone has done evil against me. Amen.
10th July 2007 Matthew 15: 21-end 2 Samuel 5: 6-end And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him (2 Samuel 5:10). David and his men march to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who lived there. The Jebusites on the other hand thought it was impossible for David to get in here. However, David and his men use the water shaft and get in. Once he was in control of the city, he took up residence in the fortress and he called it the City of David. He built the area around it and developed it. As soon as the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel they went in search of him but they could not find him. David then inquires of the Lord as to whether he should attack the Philistines. On hearing Yahweh’s affirmation, he goes ahead and defeats the Philistines on two occasions, carries of their idols and burns them (1 Chr. 14:12). David became more and more powerful because the Lord God Almighty was with him. The key lesson that we can learn from this passage is that true power or greatness can only come when the presence of the Lord is with us and when we walk in his ways. Any leadership position needs the continuous presence of the Lord. David always inquired of the Lord before he went into battle. The Lord directed his moves and he was victorious in all that he did. Unfortunately, in our world today and in our churches positions of leadership are sought after for personal gain, or to be powerful but not for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Each one of us are interested in building up our own name and our little kingdoms so that we can enjoy it as long as it lasts. May we as the people of God seek God and his kingdom. May we seek the continuous presence of the Lord in our lives that he may direct our paths. Prayer: Lord help us to practise your presence in our lives that we may seek you and your kingdom. Amen.
11th July 2007 Matthew 16: 1-12 Genesis 1: 24-31 God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’ (Genesis 1:24). Today has been ear marked as World Population Day. The world population as of today stands over six billion and India alone accounts for over a billion. In certain parts of the globe, the population seems to bursting at the seams, whereas, in other parts of the world, incentives are given for those who can bear more children. Among the poorer countries, the population explosion is mainly because the poor are looking to more hands that can work and bring in some kind of income to support them. Family planning has been introduced to make them realise that the country like ours will not be able to cope with this population explosion. But what really is the problem? There is global inequality which creates this problem. The world probably can be divided into two economic halves- the North and the South. The South stands for Latin America, Africa and Asia but symbolises all the impoverished people. The North likewise symbolises all the rich and the powerful – the power centres which are located in the richest and most industrialised countries. The North represents about 20% -of the world’s population -1 billion people and the South represents the remaining 80% - 5 billion people. According to the statistics published by the United Nations Development Plan, the North, the richest 20 percent of humankind receives 82.7% of the World’s income, controls 81.2 % of world trade, 94.6% of loans, 80.6% of domestic savings, and 80.5% of investment. In this kind of environment, let us actively pursue justice that those who have may share with those who have not. Prayer: Lord help me in a world of inequality to strive for justice. Amen.
12th July 2007 Matthew 16: 13-end 2 Samuel 8 The Lord gave David victory wherever he went (2 Samuel 8:6). This
whole chapter records for us the military campaigns of David in the
regions west (vs. 1), east (vs. 2), north (vs. 3-11), and south of
Israel There are tremendous lessons for all those who are in leadership positions. First of all, we need to remember that our own efforts will get us no where if the Lord is not with us. The Psalmist said this beautifully by saying, ‘Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God’ (Psalm 20:7). Secondly, an attitude of gratitude is required. Sometimes, we pray fervently for God to help us tide over difficult situations. When he does answer we forget to thank him for what he has done. Thirdly, we need to ascribe all our victories to the Lord. As human beings it is our tendency to take all the credit once God has won the victory for us. Finally, we notice that David persisted in doing that which was right and just for the good of his people. Are we likewise willing to do that which is right and just for the good of our people? Or do we do things that will just help us and our families? Prayer: Lord help me to know that victory comes from you, and I need to thank you for it and walk in ways which are pleasing to you and for the good of your people. Amen.
13th July 2007 Matthew 17: 1-21 2 Samuel 10 The Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think David is honouring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?’ (2 Samuel 10:3). When the king of the Ammonites died, his son Hanun succeeded him as king. David thought that he would show kindness to Hanun just as his father Nahash had shown kindness to David. David sent a delegation to express his sympathy concerning his father and to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne. However, the Ammonite nobles misread the situation and told Hanun that David had sent the envoys to spy the city and overthrow it, and not out of genuine sympathy for Nahash. Hanun heeded to the advice that he was given and therefore seized David’s men and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away. The end result of listening to this bad advice was that the Ammonites had become a stench in David’s nostrils and David destroyed the whole city. How often good people go down because of bad advisors! Who are the people that we take advice from? Leaders can surround themselves with sycophants who constantly flatter them and feed their egos so that their vision of right and wrong is blurred. They begin to think no end of themselves because of the ‘yes men’ around them who say that the ‘boss is always right!’. They constantly give bad advice to the leaders and try to isolate them from reality. In the text which we read today that is exactly what happens. David’s good intentions of sympathy and condolence are construed by the advisors as a reconnaissance group and the diplomatic group is shamed. Seek Godly advisors who can direct us in the paths of truth. Prayer: Lord help us to find Godly advisors who will guide us in right paths. Amen.
14th July 2007 Matthew 17: 22-18:14 2 Samuel 11: 22-12: 15a. Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ Nathan replied, ‘The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die’ (2 Samuel 12:13). David was strolling on his terrace when his men are away in battle, and he sees Bathsheba having a bath. He lusts after her and sends for her through his men and sleeps with her. Being a king he abuses his power by sending for a woman whose husband Uriah was fighting for him. Bathsheba becomes pregnant and David tries deceit by trying to bring Uriah back to his house to sleep with his wife. Uriah refuses considering his fellowmen who are in the battle front. David then has him killed in the battle through Joab. But the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. Nathan tells David a parable about a rich man who had plenty of sheep and a poor man with only one ewe lamb. When a traveller came along the rich man refrained from taking a sheep from his flock, but took the ewe lamb of the poor man and slaughtered it. David was outraged with it and says that the man who did this deserves to die. Nathan replies, ‘You are the man.’ David recognizes his fault and confesses, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan then answers that confession with the words, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die’. In this incident, we see that David desperately wants to cover his tracks. He has committed adultery with Bathsheba. In order to cover that, he resorts to deceit, where Uriah comes up trumps. Someone said ‘Uriah drunk is more pious than David sober’ (Ackroyd). This then leads to plotting and murder. David suddenly realizes with Nathan’s confrontation that nothing can be hid from the Lord. He breaks down and says, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Concealment leads to judgement and confession leads to restoration. May we take time to confess our sins and ask God for his pardon that we may start anew. Prayer: Lord help me to confess my sin and start anew.
15th July 2007 Luke 10: 1-2, 17-20 Isaiah 12 ‘Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven’ (Luke 10:20). The Lord Jesus appointed seventy people and sent them ahead of Him in pairs to every town and village where He Himself intended to go. He told them that the harvest was plentiful, but the labourers were few, and therefore they had to pray and ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more labourers to reap the harvest. He also gives them instructions as to how they should go about their task because they were being sent out as lambs in the midst of wolves. The disciples heed to the instructions of the Lord and they came back rejoicing. They reported to Jesus saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ Jesus responds by saying that he saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Moreover, he tells them that he has given them authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing will hurt them. Jesus concludes by saying, ‘Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’ In our world today, the harvest is plenty and the workers are few. More and more people from other faiths are putting their trust in Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. There are many who are keen to hear about Jesus Christ, and many who seek healing from Jesus Christ. We may also see signs and wonders that the Lord works in the midst of these people. We may even see demons submitting to us. But all this is not to be our source of joy. Our greatest joy is to know that our very own names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Because of this we can be confident that we will have eternal life in the presence of the Lord. May we take time to thank God that He has written our names in the Lamb’s book of life. Prayer: Lord thank you that you have written my name in your book of life. Amen.
16th July 2007 Matthew 18: 15 end 2 Samuel 13: 1-22 But Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went (2 Samuel 13:19). Amnon was one of David’s sons who desperately wants to take hold of Absalom’s beautiful sister Tamar. She is probably groomed in the women’s quarter and Amnon is frustrated as he cannot access her. He was so tormented because of his passion for her that made himself ill. On Jonadab’s advice, he feigns sickness and requests David to send his half-sister Tamar to make a couple of cakes in his sight. David sends Tamar to Amnon unsuspectingly. When she reaches Amnon’s house she took the dough, kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight. When she had baked them Amnon got rid of the servants and others and made sure that Tamar was alone. When she brought the cakes to him he overpowered her and raped her despite her numerous refusals and suggested ways out of this situation. After that he hated her with a vengeance. Tamar’s modesty was outraged by this violent act and now he throws her out without any feelings of love. Tamar’s incident is made known to Absalom her brother and to David. David hears about the incident but does not do anything because he loved Amnon. Eventfully we see Absalom taking revenge after two years by killing Amnon. We may think that we can get away with anything as long as it happens within the family. Many a time rape takes place within the extended family, and the family members tend to hush it up rather than to address it. Scripture shows us very clearly that the wages of sin is death. Rape will be exposed sooner or later and one has to face the consequences of the heat flash of passion. Sin makes us stupid and leads us in the paths of death. May we not be controlled by our lustful desires. Prayer: Lord, help me not to be controlled by lustful desires but by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
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