As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. – 2 Samuel 6:16

Today's Scripture Reading (July 7, 2025): 2 Samuel 6

When I was much younger, I worked in the parts department of a car dealership. One day, one of the mechanics was installing a high-end sound system into one of the new cars. In that day, that meant a high-quality cassette deck, CDs hadn't been invented yet, with an elaborate equalizer system and good-quality speakers. The mechanic installing the system wanted to test the unit he had just installed, so he came up to the parts desk, wondering if there was a cassette lying around that he could use to test the unit. On that day, all I had with me was a cassette by the Christian rock band "Petra." So, I gave it to him, telling him it was a Christian Band. The mechanic responded that it was probably a good thing because he needed a little culture. It was perhaps the first and last time that I heard the words "Petra" and "culture" mentioned in the same sentence.

Somehow, Christianity has become, at least in some circles, synonymous with culture. I think the most disturbing place where this has happened is inside of the Christian Church itself. We have somehow started to believe that we are to be cultured and that there is a level of respectability in being a Christian. So, we run our lives with this expectation of respectability. It was the subject of a conversation I had with a church member several years ago. She was trying to make a case for the kind of service she thought the church should produce. She believed that because the church was labeled as a "First Church," the service needed to be based on hymns with piano and organ, as that was the kind of cultured service people expected at a "First Church." We needed a service where people wore their "Sunday Best" and spoke in hushed tones because that was what was expected.

That was also what Michal expected of her husband David, that he would be respectable, especially in front of the people. But David had a different idea. David believed that when he came into the presence of God, there was no difference between the king and the slave girl. They were both servants of the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And when David looked at himself in that light, there was no expectation of respectability; he was nothing more than a servant.

I believe that a church that is concerned with being respectable in the eyes of the world will always be as barren as Michal was because we, too, will be focussing on the wrong thing. Instead, we need to focus on God and worship Him with abandon, even if that borders on being undignified; we need to worship just as David did.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 15

See also 1 Chronicles 15:29

 

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. - 1 Chronicles 14:8

Today's Scripture Reading (July 6, 2025): 1 Chronicles 14

A time of transition can be difficult. At that moment, between what was and what will be, we often find that what was has lost all of its power, and what will be is not yet fully formed. Transition is frequently a time of weakness, and it is precisely when our enemies believe they have the advantage. It is why armies of the past often sought to assassinate the leaders of their enemy nations. The death of a leader would automatically throw their adversaries into a time of transition, opening up an opportunity to attack their opponent at a time of perceived weakness. For this reason, governments in transition usually try to maintain an image of strength. They go overboard, attempting to let their enemies know that they still possess the ability to do whatever is needed to defend the nation. Sometimes, they are even willing to deny that they are in a period of transition, insisting that a deceased national leader is still alive until a new leader has been installed and is ready to lead the nation.

David has ascended to the throne of Israel. However, his ascension has come at the cost of two national leaders: Saul and his son, Ish-Bosheth. Both have died, and with their deaths, the nation's hopes and dreams have perished. At least part of the nation is unsure about what David will truly bring to the country. Therefore, it is a time of transition and weakness for the country.

It is at this time that the Philistines choose to make another attempt to destroy their enemy, Israel. Once again, they decide that this is the time to commit all their military strength to defeat their enemy. Specifically, the Philistines believed that Israel no longer possessed the strength needed to defend themselves, and if they could kill David, the nation would cease to exist. So, they mustered their forces in an all-out attempt to get to David. When David caught wind of what they were trying to do, he prepared to meet them. There is a slight discrepancy between this passage in Chronicles and the passage in Samuel (2 Samuel 5:17). Chronicles states that David prepared to meet the Philistines. In contrast, Samuel indicates that David went to a stronghold, a secure place, where he placed himself out of their reach as he assembled the government that would rule over the nation. While the two passages seem to contradict each other, it is quite possible that this was how David needed to meet the Philistines at this time: from a position of strength, not weakness.

The Philistines became a reminder to David that, although the struggle with Saul was over and the civil war between David and Ish-Bosheth had ended, the struggle had not yet finished. The internal battle of Israel might have ended, but there would always be an external struggle and a reason for David to trust in God for the nation's defense rather than in his ability as a king and the great general of Israel.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 6

See also 2 Samuel 5:17

They moved the ark of God from Abinadab's house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. – 1 Chronicles 13:7

Today's Scripture Reading (July 5, 2025): 1 Chronicles 13

Sometimes, we take our examples from the wrong people. If there is a sin of the contemporary church, it might be that we have come to resemble the world too much. However, not in the ways at which we sometimes point. The way we mirror the dominant culture is not evident in the Christian response to some of the Hot Topic issues of our day. We reflect the world in that we often prioritize our own needs over those of others; we seek to take advantage of the weak and exploit the powerless. We have lost sight of the fact that we are called to be servants, loving the world as Christ has loved us. We have refused to take the words of Jesus seriously, who taught his followers not only that we are to love each other but that we are to protect the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless. Jesus made it clear. "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40). This ministry to the least of these that Jesus outlines in Matthew 25 has been forgotten in our contemporary world. We make excuses, arguing that we have the right not to help the least of these. We accuse these same people of being less than human; we label them and remove the rights that our culture insists that everyone should have. We, the Christian Church, follow the world rather than the explicit instructions of Jesus.

Chronicles tells us that as David prepared to bring the Ark of the Covenant back from its resting place at Abinadab's house to Jerusalem, he instructed that a new cart be made ready to carry the Ark. The problem is that that is not how the Ark was to be moved.

Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed (Exodus 25:10-15)

The intent is that when the Ark is moved, it is to be carried, not placed on a cart or a similar vehicle. Furthermore, there were specific individuals designated to carry out the task. These were Levites from the family of Kohath.

After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting (Numbers 4:15).

David, possibly because he did not understand the requirements of the law, had made different arrangements for the movement of the Ark. Unfortunately, David should have known, and there was no excuse for his ignorance on this topic. And if he did not know, someone among his advisers should have known or found out what the regulations should be.

However, there was a previous historical example of the Ark of God being moved in a cart. That example came from the Philistines. Before the reign of Saul, the Philistines had captured the Ark and wanted to return it to Israel. To accomplish this feat, they used a new cart. That tale is found in 1 Samuel; "Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up" (1 Samuel 6:7).

David seems to have followed the example of the Philistines rather than seeking God's instructions on how to move the Ark. It was a mistake for which David would pay a very high price.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 14

Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains. – 1 Chronicles 12:8

Today's Scripture Reading (July 4, 2025): 1 Chronicles 12

Over the past couple of years, we have seen excellent examples of men and women who have believed in something so strongly that they voluntarily put themselves in harm's way on foreign soil. When Hamas attacked on October 7, 2023, a number of the captives were students attending a concert, but among them were also soldiers serving in the Israeli army, some of who were American citizens. Americans, especially those of Israeli descent, have a history of choosing to serve in the Israeli military because they believe in Israel. The West has not officially sent soldiers to Ukraine to fight against the invading Russians, but that doesn't mean that soldiers are not there from Western nations. Men and women have shown up ready to fight just because they believed in the cause and that Russia's invasion of a vulnerable neighbor is morally wrong. It is an interesting phenomenon. And it is not something that I expect our politicians understand entirely.

This passage dates back to a time when David was an outlaw living among the people of Philistia, continually pursued by Saul, the rightful King of Israel. At this time, men from the tribe of Gad defected from supporting Saul and Israel to support David. For whatever reason, they felt called to support David rather than their King. What that meant was that these men left their home in Gad, which is located on the east side of the Jordan River, and moved to where David was in Philistia, situated on the west side of Israel, by the Mediterranean Sea.

Chronicles tell us that these men arrived ready to fight. They didn't need to be trained; they could already handle the weapons of war. Their faces were fierce, possibly painted to intimidate their enemies, and they were swift. Men like this would be invaluable in a conflict, and they had chosen to support David. Possibly, they saw something in David that they felt they could support and a reason to fight that Saul wasn't giving to them. Or perhaps, in David, they saw a warrior who understood men like themselves, something that was lacking in Saul's leadership style. Either way, it was David whom they wanted to fight and David whom they chose to join, even though the warrior of Israel was currently living in Philistia.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 13

Happy Independence Day to all our friends in the United States.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. – 1 Chronicles 11:22

Today's Scripture Reading (July 3, 2025): 1 Chronicles 11

Back in Junior High School, I had bodyguards. These bodyguards were other students who, for some reason, decided that I needed their physical support. In all honesty, I was bigger than every one of them, but in their opinion, I was just not mean enough. So, whenever I had a disagreement, or someone made a threat that they would "see me after school," often by the time after school arrived, there would be three or four guys who considered themselves meaner than I was, ready to walk with me and fight any fights that might come my way. Oh, I still got into a few scraps (I couldn't let the little guys have all the fun), but they were always willing to stand with me.

Almost lost near the beginning of 1 Chronicles as well as at the end of 2 Samuel is this description of David's Mighty Men. These were the men who were willing to walk with David and even fight his battles. And on this list of Mighty Men is one named Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. Among his many exploits is a story in which he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. If you have read this passage before, you probably skipped right past the story. But when you stop to think about it, maybe you begin to wonder who would do something like that. I am not sure what I would do if I met a lion with nothing but a sword on a snowy day, but chasing it down into a wet, snow-filled pit where my footing would be questionable at best would definitely not be on the agenda. And yet that seems to have been precisely what Benaiah had done. The text suggests that Benaiah acted voluntarily, and as a result, among other acts, David appointed him one of his mighty men. Any man who would willingly chase a lion into a pit on a snowy day was dangerous, and David wanted the men close to him to be just that: dangerous men to anyone who would stand in the path of anyone who wanted to harm the king.

As Christians, dangerous is precisely what we are designed to be. I recently heard some Christians described as being like good vampires. The intent of the comment was an allusion to some of the good vampires of literature, vampires who drank just enough blood to stay alive but not enough to be wholly absorbed into the Vampire lifestyle. For Christians, that means that we want just enough of the blood of Jesus to be saved from hell but not enough to make us seem different from others or absorbed in what we might call the Christian lifestyle. But we were never made for that role. We were all created to be Benaiah's, so dangerous that the lions of this world will run from our presence.

We are designed to be the Mighty Ones of Christ. And this world will never be the same because Jesus is fully in us, and we are fully in the world.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 12

In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.' – 2 Samuel 5:2

Today's Scripture Reading (July 2, 2025): 2 Samuel 5

For some reason, we aspire to be the boss. Maybe we dream of being able to set our own hours and the riches that must follow if we were the ones running the show. We often miss the endless hours spent working when we are the ones in charge of everything. We also tend to overlook the increased stress that arises from even the slightest of problems. And, often, being the boss doesn't bring us endless riches, but debt and the ulcers that come with figuring out how to make payroll or pay other necessary business expenses. One of the complaints I hear from those who are bosses is that they dream of the ability to leave the office and let the problems remain there, just to enjoy life away from work. But bosses seldom get that chance. Regardless of where they are or what they are doing, the boss is constantly on the job, and all the problems are theirs to solve.

The people come to David to ask him to be their King. It must have been a phenomenal act of encouragement for Israel's leader. They remind him that even in the days of Saul, he was the true military leader. And the people seemed to know that God had promised David that he would be the shepherd of the people. However, that is also part of David's problem. Back when he was the shepherd of the sheep, God had called David to be the Shepherd of Israel. But a shepherd was never the boss.

In ancient times, shepherds were often the youngest family members or employees. David had been a shepherd in his father's family, but he was in no way the leader of the family. He was simply the youngest and least significant of Jesse's sons. David went out to the sheep because he had been told to do so. He didn't have a choice. David was a shepherd.

And David was now God's shepherd. And everything would be okay as long as he remembered that he was not the one in charge. He answered to God. The problems didn't belong to him, and neither did the successes. All of that was simply in the hands of his God. The God of Israel was in charge, and David was merely his shepherd, his employee.

There would be times when David would forget that. When David sinned with Bathsheba, he forgot that he was supposed to be the shepherd of Israel and started to believe that he was the king. David's sin was a mistake that would haunt David for the rest of his life. If he had just remembered that God and the people had called him to be a shepherd, that sin might have never happened.

A shepherd remains the image we have of church leaders. We are not the bosses but the servants of those within our circles of influence. And we are always answerable to God, who is our true King even today, just as God was the true King of David's Israel.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 11

See Also 1 Chronicles 11:2

They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon. – 1 Chronicles 10:10

Today's Scripture Reading (July 1, 2025): 1 Chronicles 10

Benito Mussolini was the Prime Minister of Italy at the start of World War II. But, as the war progressed, he became "Il Duce" or "The Leader," the unquestioned fascist dictator of Italy. Mussolini ruled Italy with an iron hand, often killing any who opposed him. So, it maybe shouldn't be much of a surprise that those who defeated him, ending his reign, treated him the same way he had treated others. On April 28, 1945, with the Allied forces closing in, Mussolini and most of his comrades, including his mistress, Clara Petacci, were executed by firing squad. But that was not the end of the story of Benito Mussolini. The body of Benito Mussolini, along with the bodies of some of his comrades, was trucked to Milan and dumped in what had been renamed "Fifteen Martyrs' Square" in honor of fifteen Italian partisans who had been executed there by the German army on August 10, 1944. The bodies were then spat on and kicked by those who had gathered at the square. Then, these bodies were strung up upside down from an Esso gas station sign, the same place where the bodies of the fifteen executed Italians had been displayed just over nine months earlier.

For Mussolini and his comrades, death was not the end of dishonor. It is an ancient tradition. Often, dead enemy soldiers were simply left on the battlefield rather than being buried. And dead leaders were displayed to dishonor their memory further.

This display of a leader's dead body was precisely what happened to Saul. His head was removed and taken on a tour of the cities of Philistia. Eventually, his head was displayed at Dagon's Temple. But that was not enough. According to 1 Samuel 31, the Philistines took the decapitated bodies of Saul and his sons to the Israelite village of Beth Shan. Beth Shan was a small town in the territory of the Tribe of Issachar. However, the Canaanites had not been entirely driven out of the area. The proof of that failure was this displaying of the bodies of Saul and his sons on the walls of Beth Shan. That act meant that the people of Beth Shan were allies of the Philistines despite being located in northern Israel. The displaying of Saul's body was meant to dishonor further the former King of Israel, something that a loyal city of Israel would have never allowed.

Saul's armor was taken to the Temple of their gods. Again, in 1 Samuel 31, we are told that the Temple was dedicated to the Ashtoreths. The armor had become part of the spoils of war and a reminder to the worshipping people of the power of Philistia and the general weakness of Israel and her God.

The men of Jabesh Gilead would be the ones to rescue the bodies of Saul and his sons from the walls of Beth Shan. And when they gained possession of the bodies, they burned them, not to further dishonor the bodies, but to make sure that no one could take the bodies back from them and dishonor the King again. And then they buried the bones and fasted for seven days, properly mourning the death of a King.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 5

See Also 1 Samuel 31:10

Personal Note: Happy Canada Day, Canada. Elbows Up!