In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” – 2 Samuel 11:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 30, 2019): 2 Samuel 11

Abraham Lincoln said that “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” Power seems to change us in unfathomable ways. For one thing, once we achieve it, we don’t seem ever to want to be without it. We will do anything to keep it; we even commit to actions of which we would have had no idea we were capable before the advent of our power. And often our morality is one of the victims of our power.

This was true for David. When David was a servant of King Saul, he went out of his way to protect the life of the king, even though Saul had proven that he was David’s enemy. At least twice David held the king’s life in his hands and let him live. And when a soldier arrived at his doorstep claiming that he was the one who had killed the king, David had him executed. King Saul’s life was sacred, even if Saul was an enemy, and David would have nothing to do with his death. Instead, he was a protector of the King. At this moment, David experienced the high point of his morality and character. But the other reality is that, at this moment, David was a servant, not a king.

But David didn’t stay a servant. In some ways, it might have been better if he had. One day, David became king. And that one act changed him. He still did good things, but the power that laid within him released a darkness in David that he had never known while he was a servant. It started with the act of sleeping with the wife of one of his friends. But that was not the end of it. David, the one who refused to take the life of his king, murdered his friend and one of his most valiant warriors, all in the pursuit of power.

I know, David didn’t take a spear and kill him with his own hands, but David was still responsible for the death of Uriah the Hittite. Even though he did not do it with a sword, his action with a pen made him just as guilty. Uriah the Hittite did not die because the King had sent him on a dangerous mission in the midst of the battle. Uriah’s life was tossed away, not in the pursuit of a military goal, but because the King wanted him dead to hide his own sin and protect his power.

The protector of his enemy had turned into the murderer of a friend. And the sacrifice of David’s morality was made at the altar of power. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. – 1 Chronicles 20:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 29, 2019): 1 Chronicles 20

The Normandy Landings, on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, during World War II, was the largest seaborne invasion in history. And they were almost the landings that didn’t happen. The problem was the weather. Initially, the Normandy Landings had been scheduled for the Monday, June 5. But a storm in the Atlantic made that plan impossible. But Allied meteorologists believed that the weather would settle enough to make the invasion possible on Tuesday. The weather did improve slightly, enough that General Eisenhower thought that the Allies could get the attack in before the door closed. If the invasion could not go forward on June 6, it would be another two weeks before they would get another chance, and by then, the Germans might have learned of the Allied plans.  

The German meteorologists did not have access to stations in the Atlantic, and therefore their projections were less accurate. They believed that the storm in the Atlantic was going to last a couple of weeks. As a result, the German’s allowed military personnel to attend to other duties, weakening their position at the landings sight. The result was obviously in favor of the Allied Landings. The reality is that had the weather been different, the outcome could have been significantly altered.

The Chronicler starts this portion of the story with the words, “in the spring, at the time when kings go off to war.” In the ancient world, war was not fought during the winter because the rains and cold weather made travel and fighting more difficult. But in the spring, a time when the weather generally improved, and if there were conflicts that needed to be fought, the kings would then go to war.

Of course, in this case, David did not leave Jerusalem. He should have accompanied his general, Joab. But he did not. Even in the battle that Israel fought against the Ammonites and the Arameans, the final blow did not come until David got involved in the fight. David was the authority behind which the army went to war.

What is revealing here is what the Chronicler does not choose to enter into his story. He says nothing about David and Bathsheba. Evidently, the story of David and Bathsheba was so well known, and maybe because the story was so painful, that recording the details of David’s failings were unnecessary. All that was needed was the words, “in the spring, at the time when kings go off to war” to invoke the details of the story of David and Bathsheba.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11

When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore. – 1 Chronicles 19:19

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 28, 2019): 1 Chronicles 19

In an increasingly interconnected world, I readily admit that I do not understand isolationist foreign policies. On the world stage, no country, including the United States, Russia, China, and India, can go it alone. We need each other. Maybe one of the reasons that isolationist policies are attractive, even if they are useless, is the reality that foreign policy is hard. Foreign policy is dependent on the idea that each nation has something that it can offer to help the other, or that there is a situation so dangerous to the global environment that someone has to step in and do something to minimize the possible future damage, or that humanitarian concerns demand that others help. With these things in mind, the nations begin to build relationships with each other.

In ancient times, one of the most fundamental concerns of foreign policy was the security of the countries borders. It wasn’t, as seems to be traditionally understood today, the protection of a nation from unwanted immigrants, although that could be a concern. In the ancient world, the driving force behind an excellent foreign policy was the recognition that, in a world where an attack from the air was impossible, that the borders of a nation are where enemy invaders would ultimately have to cross. If a country could surround itself with friends, then there would be increased security, or at least increased warnings about the coming invasion. And this security would last until another nation lured them away with promises a better life or making them more secure.

The Arameans supported the Ammonites because that was what was in their best interest.  Aram and Ammon were neighboring nations sharing a border with Israel to the east. They had developed a foreign policy that included the idea of mutual protection. When Ammon insulted Israel, they immediately called on their northern neighbors, Aram, for help in defending themselves from Israel’s retaliation.

But the battle between Ammon and Israel did not go well for the Ammonites. It was Ammon’s actions that had instigated the conflict, Ammon had drawn Aram into the battle, but Ammon did not have the strength to defend themselves, let alone Aram, from the Israelite forces. And so the foreign policy that had existed between Aram and Ammon had outlived its usefulness. If the Ammonites wanted to go around picking fights with neighbors, Aram no longer saw the benefit of maintaining the relationship, and so Aram began developing a foreign policy that included Israel. And Israel secured its borders by either defeating or developing foreign policies with its neighbors which were to the benefit of Israel.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 20

Personal Note: Happy first birthday to my Grandson, James.

Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight.” – 2 Samuel 10:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 27, 2019): 2 Samuel 10

World War I American fighter ace, Eddie Rickenbacker, argued that “courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are scared.” Going into a battle that you are sure that you can win does not take courage. Courage is required only if there is doubt about which way the battle might go, or whether you will be able to survive the experience. Living life takes courage because there are generally very few sure things. And I have to admit that there have been things that I have left undone because I was too scared to follow through. In our most honest moments, I think that that is an experience that we all share.

Joab and his brother Abishai are preparing to go up against the Ammonites who had become a threat to Israel. The Ammonites, realizing that they had dishonored Israel and that Israel might respond to their actions with force, had hired some mercenaries to help them in the coming battle. Joab planned to divide Israel’s forces with part of the army facing the mercenaries and the rest of the army facing the heart of the Ammonite army.

And at this moment, Joab takes time out to talk to his brother. Each brother is going to lead a separate part of the army, and Joab wants to outline the responsibility of each brother, but then he stresses three things to Abishai. First, he tells him to fight bravely, or with courage. There is no assurance of winning here. The two brothers were about to place themselves in danger. Both brothers were afraid, but that did not change what it was that they needed to do. The fight was necessary, and they needed to battle their fear to carry out the mission.

Second, Joab stresses the reason why courage was needed. The people of Israel and the cities were depending on what they were about to do. If they decided not to follow through with the mission, if they allowed fear to stop them, it was these people who would pay the price for their failure. Joab stresses that the fate of the people must be at the forefront of their minds.

But third, Joab gave these words of assurance. “The Lord will do what is good in his sight.” Joab and Abishai were responsible for planning for the encounter, for fighting with courage, and for remembering the people that they served. But ultimately, the battle was in the hands of God. I think Joab believed that if he did his part, and if the cause was just, then God would move in their favor.

And if we do our part and act courageously, acting even though we are scared, and our cause is just, we hope that God will move in our favor. I believe that he does.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 19

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” – 2 Samuel 9:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 26, 2019): 2 Samuel 9

I got the strap in school once. (I know, there actually was a day when teachers, or principals, could use physical violence as punishment on a student. What were we thinking?) At the time of this episode of “teacher on student physical violence,” I was six-years-old and in grade one. The crime was the theft of a Gumby. I cried out that I was innocent, and I was. But the problem was that I was holding a key piece of evidence in my hands – the Gumby. My defense was that this was a different Gumby. I had brought this particular Gumby from home. At the time, the strange bendable figure was fairly popular. So, the young Garry was charged with theft, then had his property removed from him and given to another kid.

Convicted of a crime, that afternoon I made a slow walk toward home, and when I reached the spot where I could see my house, I was devastated to see the Pastor’s car sitting in front of my house. I was sure that the Man of God had been summoned to deal out more punishment on me, a lowly sinner. I snuck into the house and refused to come out of my room until long after the confused pastor had left, and supper was on the table.

I don’t think I told my parents about what had happened that night. I was just too embarrassed. I also don’t think that they noticed the missing Gumby. The next day, I went back to school. I didn’t want to, but I didn’t have a choice in the matter. And at school, the teacher was waiting for me, with my Gumby in her hand. New evidence had been discovered during the night. The stolen Gumby had never actually been taken; the student had left it at home. Gumby number two had never come to school in the first place. I was vindicated, but it left me with a permanent dislike for school and distrust for authority. I still suffer from it.

David was King. There was no palace coup, but a new King who was unrelated to the previous King was on the throne of Israel. The usual course of action was that the new king would execute all of the family of the former king so that there could be no one else who might lay claim to the throne. These murders were committed out of expediency and not morality. But David had a high sense of morality. He had proven that during the life of Saul, refusing to lay a hand on the King.

But Mephibosheth may not have known that, and even if he did, he could not know if the King’s mercy extended to him. Mephibosheth had done his best to fly under the radar and keep away from the attention of the King. But now, he was being called into the presence of the king. And he must have been very nervous about the reason why. The question in the center of his mind had to be “could this be his last day on earth?”

David understands the emotions flowing through Mephibosheth. And so his first words are “Don’t be afraid.” My intention is not to do you harm, but to honor you as a descendant of the king. I am not a danger to you unless, of course, you are a danger to me.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 10

Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary … - 1 Chronicles 18:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 25, 2019): 1 Chronicles 18

It is the cry of the Three Musketeers in Alexandre Dumas’s classic story: “All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall.” In almost every aspect of life, unity makes us stronger. That does not mean that we act in the same way nor that we operate with the same purpose, or that we never have a disagreement. Working in unity does make us stronger; but it is unity, not unison.

The author of Chronicles once again reminds that at this time the priesthood of Israel was divided. The Tabernacle was still at Gibeon, and Zadok was the High Priest at the Tabernacle. Ahimelek was the High Priest in Jerusalem, where the Ark of the Covenant now resided. And it would be easy to assume that there was competition between these the two priests. And there might have been competition between the two men, but it is just as likely that this was just the way David needed the Priesthood to work.

Zadok, the High Priest at Gibeon, seems to have been the ranking priest, he was the head of the Tabernacle and the religious head of worship for the nation. But David needed someone with religious authority at his side in Jerusalem, the political center of the country. And that person in Jerusalem was Ahimelek, and it is very likely that Ahimelek was the second in charge under the leadership of Zadok, and that it was David who set it up that way.

But it is also true that, as time passed, the star of Zadok rose even further, and the star of Ahimelek and his father Abiathar seemed to disappear. Poor decision making on the part of Ahimelek and Abiathar meant that David had to lean on Zadok increasingly, and the author of Chronicles wants to remind us that, too, was just as it was supposed to be. Zadok may have been the son of Ahitub, but if we follow the lineage back further, we find out that Zadok was the descendant of Eleazar, the third son of Aaron. That made Eleazar the nephew of Moses. Ahimelek, the son of Abiathar, was a descendant of Eli. And all of this was considered to be a fulfillment of the prophecy of Elkanah, the father of Samuel, when he condemned Eli. “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always” (2 Samuel 2:35).

Zadok may have been a partial fulfillment of Elkanah’s prophecy. But the full realization of the prophecy would have to wait until the ministry of Jesus, the one the author of Hebrews describes as a priest in the order of Melchizedek, and the one who would minister before God forever. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 9

When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. – 1 Chronicles 17:11-12

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 24, 2019): 1 Chronicles 17

William IV of the United Kingdom ascended to the throne on June 26, 1830, at the age of 64. While most of his contemporaries were preparing for the final days of their lives, William was preparing for a new career. William was the third son of George III of the United Kingdom and third sons rarely ascend to the throne. So William did not expect that he would ever be king. His older brother, George the IV, reigned as king. The next oldest of the sons of George III was Prince Frederick, and Frederick was the heir presumptive, in other words, he was the next in line to the throne as long as King George IV remained without a child. But Frederick had dropsy and died of cardiac disease in 1827, three years before his older brother. Suddenly William IV became the heir presumptive, and then was crowned as the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom – and the last king to reign over both the United Kingdom and Hanover.

Unfortunately for William, his reign is mostly forgotten. During his reign, the influence of the crown on the people and politics suffered a steep decline. He reigned seven years (1830-1837), but his reign is overshadowed by those who came before, and by his niece who reigned after him, as Queen Victoria.

God tells the priest, Nathan, that David is not the one who will build his temple. The task of creating a home for God would be left to his son. I really think that God was hoping that David would forget about his dream of a temple. After all, God was not going to be contained within a brick and mortar building. But David never gave up on his idea about a Temple. And as his son and heir, Solomon, began to grow, the king told his son all about the temple that he believed that Solomon would build – the house would bear the name of God and the throne that would last forever.

The problem was that it didn’t. Oh, we remember Solomon, but the kings of Israel are now long gone and forgotten. And the temple that Solomon built is gone as well. We have nothing left by which we can remember the House that Solomon built. There was a second temple; Zerubbabel’s temple which became Herod’s Temple. And from that temple, we, at least. have a wall and some foundational elements. But Solomon’s temple, the one that David dreamed of, has completely disappeared.

I believe that David got it wrong. When God spoke about the descendant who would build a house for him and whose throne God would establish forever, he was not talking about Solomon. The son of David that would build a temple that would bear God’s name and whose feign would be forever was a different son. His name is Jesus. And of his reign, there would be no end.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 18

See also 2 Samuel 7:12

We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. – Psalm 106:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 23, 2019): Psalm 106

I recently received a question through Facebook about my church’s stand on LGBTQ issues. It is one of the most destructive questions that can be asked in today’s political environment. And one that most of us would rather not answer. From my point of view, part of my problem is that I don’t know the answer. In my opinion, the Traditional Christian Church has given LGBTQ theology a pride of place that it simply does not deserve. It is condemned in the Bible, but not frequently enough to build the theology that we have built around it. And the passages are not above being questioned. As a result, my answers make no one happy. The unfortunate truth is that we can make a solid biblical argument in both directions, and that satisfies no one. For the conservative Christian, I am often accused of being too soft on sin by not condemning “homosexuality.” For the LGBTQ community and their supporters, my defense of the LGBTQ community is not strong enough. I believe that we need more open and honest conversations, but I am not sure we are going to have them any time soon.

But this I know. I am a sinner. In fact, I am a great sinner. Paul is quite clear on that point, although I already knew that that was true in my own life. Paul’s words are concise; “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We have sinned, and God has found a way to offer us forgiveness before we even knew that it was forgiveness that we needed. I know that I am a great sinner, but I also know that Christ is a great Savior. Beyond that single fact, I know that we are to love. And “this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). I can’t find the words that “we are to love them as long as they agree with us” anywhere in the Christian Testament. We are to be a people of love.

I sometimes wonder if our hot button issues accomplish nothing other than to take us away from what is really important in our world. We need to understand that we are sinners. We have committed personal sin; every one of us stands guilty in the presence of God. We need forgiveness. And once we have found that forgiveness, we are to become masters at loving those who are around us, regardless of the sin or baggage that they carry. And after we have learned love, there might be time to start working at our hot button issues. But I suspect that after we have mastered love, recognizing that we too are sinners, our hot button topics might not seem all that important anymore. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 17

He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave. – Psalm 105:16-17

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 22, 2019): Psalm 105

There is some tension around the idea that both the good and the bad might have a purpose in our lives – and that God might be the author of both. We don’t want to believe that. When we think of God, we crave his blessing. Maybe, amid our disobedience, we can be brought to the idea that God allows bad things to happen. But is it possible that God, at times, needs us to go through hard experiences? Is it possible that there are tough times in our lives that have nothing to do with good and evil, obedience and disobedience, or us actively turning our back on God? Is it even possible that there are tough times that aren’t even neutral experiences, that God let happen, or let through, but that he caused to happen because, at some point in the future, there might be a positive effect?

I think that there are places in the Bible where the writers argue for a yes to these questions; sometimes God allows bad experiences to dominate our lives, not because of sin but because God is trying to accomplish something. And the terrible part that we miss is that it might not even be in our lives that we see the conclusion at which God is aiming. Consider the story that David is alluding to in this short section of Psalm 105. God brings a famine onto the land of Canaan, a land that he has promised to the descendants of Abraham. At the time, it was Jacob who was living in Canaan. Now, there is no doubt that much was happening in the family of Jacob that was against the will of God. But it was not necessarily sin that caused the famine because God had already positioned Joseph in Egypt as God’s response to the coming famine.

Joseph himself had suffered much. Consider his story. He was sold into slavery by his brothers as an act of mercy for not killing him. Joseph rose in power in Egypt only to be falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to prison where everyone forgot him. Helping a friend, predicting that he would beat the charges against him, resulted only in Joseph being forgotten one more time. All of this so that he might be raised up at the right time historically and be used to save not only Egypt, but his family as well.

Joseph understood the importance of his story. In response to the request of his brothers for forgiveness after the death of their Father Jacob, Joseph spoke these words, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:19-20).    

Yet, the story wasn’t over. Israel would suffer again, be raised up by Moses, be led through times of deprivation in the desert, all so that they could become a nation of God on the earth. It seems in the length of the story that God caused bad so that he could orchestrate good.

We all experience the negative of life. But even in the worst moments, we need to remember that God has a plan, and part of our problem is that we cannot see the whole story, and we need to be willing to simply place our trust in him.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 106

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. – Psalm 96:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 21, 2019): Psalm 95 & 96

I remember a Presidential Campaign that took place some years ago, that advocated for “No One for President.” According to the tongue-in-cheek campaign, “No One” keeps their promises, “No One” tells the truth, and “No One” knows how to solve societal ills. Therefore, “No One” deserves to be elected to the office of the President, or any other position of political leadership. The campaign still rings true.  Amidst the partisan arguments, often yelled past us by our current set of politicians, it might be preferable that “No One” deserves the opportunity to lead us.

David makes this argument in defense of God. Israel had a habit of running away from the God of Israel to other gods, worshipped by the other nations with whom Israel was in contact. It was an act that seems to have mystified David. He argues that it was the God of Israel who created the heavens, meaning that God was the creator of everything. But the gods of these other nations were just idols, and the word that is used here is 'eliyl, and it means literally “nothings.” These gods were inconsequential and had no substance. They were empty. They meant nothing and were, essentially, “nothings.” Why would anyone trade a God of substance who created everything to worship “nothings.”

Culturally, we are doing the same thing. Sometimes it is the other gods of different societies, carved or created images meant to reflect the spiritual world, that draws our worship. But more often we worship “nothing.” There is an empty space that we fill with our favorite actors or sports teams; inferior entities that do not deserve our attention or worship.

And maybe we need to re-evaluate the way that we use the word idol. Could you imagine rebranding “American Idol” as “American Nothings.” But “nothings” might be more accurate. It does not diminish the talent of the people who compete but, in the end, the truth is that we are all nothings. We find our worth in the God who creates us, and everything else is nothing.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 105

They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. – 1 Chronicles 16:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 20, 2019): 1 Chronicles 16

Health care. It is likely that wherever you live, this is the topic that is at the center of the public consciousness in your area. At a moment in time when there are medical solutions for a majority of the diseases that plague us, access to health care is restricted mainly to people who live in the right area and/or can afford the appropriate treatment. Bono, the lead singer of the rock band “U2,” brought this issue into the center of the public spotlight with his activism in support of Africa. While there is a disparity in the ability to access health care in developed countries, the problem is even larger in the Majority World Countries, like many in Africa. More than a decade ago, Bono brought the issue of stupid poverty into the center of our public discussion, defining “stupid poverty” as poverty that resulted in the death of children because of the lack of a “two-dollar pill.”

As David began his reign, the center of the public discussion was likely issues like putting food on the tables of the nation and finding a national security solution to save them from the enemies of Israel like “the Philistines.” But David wanted to add to that list the worship of the God of Israel. And it is that desire that drove David to overcome any difficulties and return the Ark to Jerusalem, the capital city. He wanted the Ark and God to be at the center of the conversation because he believed that the solution to poverty, starvation, and national security was found in God.

And it still is. The problem of our time is that the power of the church and God has been effectively sidelined. We don’t look to God for the answer to the issues like injustice and poverty. But we should because that is the issue that the Bible repeatedly returns to as the solution to these issues. Consider these words from Isaiah:

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I (Isaiah 58:6-9).

David strongly believed that God was the answer to the hard issues of his day. He brought the Ark to Jerusalem with much pageantry so that the people would be talking about the Ark and God at their supper tables. And if we are going to be doing the job that God has placed in front of us, then he needs to be at the center of our discussion as well. For those who call on the name of God, then the issues of injustice and poverty, and even healthcare must be important to us because they are important to him.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 95 & 96

… for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. – Psalm 24:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 19, 2019): Psalm 24

The ancient idea about the universe is that it is made of water. It is an obvious deduction. After all, the water that we see around us is often blue, and that is also the color of the sky. So the sky must be made of water. And then, there are times that water falls to earth. Ancient people actually believed that the water that was above sometimes leaked through, replenishing the water that was below the earth. The cycle of evaporation and condensation was unknown; there was merely the water above and the water below.

But the proof extends even further. If you live on the earth and walk far enough in any direction, you will eventually arrive at water. So as far as the ancient people were concerned, the liquid stuff surrounds us. Even worse, from their interaction with the water that surrounds us, it seemed that the realm of water was one ruled by chaos. Boats often went out into the water. They fished and brought back food. Boats provided transportation to islands that could not be reached in any other way. Boats provided shortcuts; ways to get to other places quicker than if you had to journey over land. But boats were also vulnerable to the chaos that existed in the water. And sometimes, especially if the boat went too far away from land, the boats succumbed to the disorder and never returned.

The miracle of all of this is that we live in the space between the waters. Not just the water that is above and below, but the water that is in the north and south, and the water that is in the east and the west.

David had never seen a globe. He actually had never even seen an ocean. David had seen the Mediterranean Sea, and maybe the Red Sea. He had seen smaller bodies of water like the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. He knew the chaos of the water that he had seen. And leaning on other ancient teachers, David was aware of the water that surrounded him. He also understood the Hebrew account of creation, where God separates the water, leaving this empty space in which live. He knew that God then placed the land in the empty space, a place where we could live. He established the land in the empty space between the waters. And to David that was a miracle.

And it is. David may have had his science wrong, but he was right that the earth’s existence is perfection – God’s perfection. We live in the “Goldilocks Zone” in our solar system. It is in the perfect place for life, just the right distance from the sun and the other planets. And it is all because God founded the earth and established it right where it needed to be.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 16

I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” – Psalm 16:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 18, 2019): Psalm 15 & 16

Henry Winkler once said that “Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” He’s right, but communication is hard. Part of the problem is that we often assume that we have communicated an idea when the reality is that no communication has taken place. The problem with assumptions is not just that they are the termites of relationships, the other side of the issue is that assumptions are also the essential filler of communication; assumptions fill in the gaps that we have left empty by what we have said. We think that we are being clear by what we say, but the truth is that every discussion we have is filled with gaps and we have to assume what it is that is supposed to be in those empty spaces. At the end of some of our misguided conversations, our joking response is often “don’t listen to what I say; listen to what I mean.” We are encouraging our listeners to make different assumptions. And sometimes that is a tough task,

When we turn to translation from one language to another, the problem is only magnified. The order of words is different from what we are used to, and sometimes unclear. We are not only making an assumption in the original language but then we have to extend that assumption into a different language.

Consider Psalm 16:2. The New International Version gives us this translation of the verse:   

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”

The King James Version offers this translation:

O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

Young’s Literal Translation offers us these words:

Thou hast said to Jehovah, `My Lord Thou [art];' My good [is] not for thine own sake;

It can be a little confusing. Exactly what is the Psalmist trying to tell us? First, we have the double use of Lord or Lord, but then there seems to be some disagreement as to whether it is God’s providence, or “good things,” that is being described, or is it our morality, or “goodness,” that should not be elevated to the level of God. It could even be that it is our proficiency or competence, our ability to do “good work,” that is being questioned by David. And part of the problem is that in the original text essentially only four words exist: Say Yahweh Adonai goodness. We have to make some assumptions, using both the words David wrote and the context of the writing.  

As far as the first question is concerned, Young’s Literal Translation decides to give us the actual word David used rather than use the word “Lord.” Whenever our Bible’s use the word “Lord” in all caps, it is referring to God. In this case, the word Jehovah or Yahweh, is used in the actual passage. The second Lord in the passage is the Word Adonai, which is sometimes used for God, but here it is used to indicate earthly leaders.

So what is the solution? We depend on our assumptions and the expertise of others and to possibly sum up this verse in this way; “I say to God in Heaven, ‘You are my leader on earth. Anything that can be considered good comes from you.’”

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 24

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? – Psalm 60:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 17, 2019): Psalm 60

Raqmu. The city, hidden in the rocks, has likely been occupied since 9,000 B.C.E. In ancient times, it was a formidable fortress. Part of its strength was that it was an impossible place even to find. The only way of accessing the city was through a 1.2-kilometer-long gorge which is called the Siq. The narrow passageway was easily defended, nullifying any advantage that a large army might have over the defenders. Raqmu lies in the rocky land south of the Dead Sea, in the traditional land Edom. It is likely that David knew of the city as Sela. For us, it carries another name – Petra.

It is likely that it is Petra that David is referring to here. The city existed in the southernmost part of Edom. While the height of culture in Petra was still a thousand years in the future, even in David’s time the city would have been both intriguing and important. Much like Masada in Israel, it was an impenetrable place of refuge during times of trouble. And when there was trouble in Edom, it was Petra that the people sought out.

Did David have desires to defeat Petra? Maybe, but it is possible that his wording here is largely symbolic. In David’s day, the only way anyone could hope to defeat Petra in Edom was if God was willing to fight on the side of those who opposed the city. But the point that David is making here is that every battle should be considered a battle against Petra. Every city should be considered to be the fortified city. No victory was possible anywhere unless it was God who brought the victory.

We all come into contact with our Petras; those places where we know that success is impossible unless God stands with us and brings us the victory. Depending on God in those times might be challenging, but it is the only way that we can succeed. What is even harder is recognizing our need when we come up against challenges that are not impossible; challenges that we think we can meet in our own strength. It is at this moment that we need to try to see the world through the eyes of David. Every challenge is our Petra. And without God, even the easiest challenge is out of our reach.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 15 & 16

David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. – 2 Samuel 8:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 16, 2019): 2 Samuel 8

At every Olympic games, we see Olympic Medal winners with their medals in their mouths. The reason for the bizarre behavior is that gold is a soft metal in its pure form and if you have something that is pure gold and you bite into it, your teeth will leave a mark. In previous centuries, biting down on something made of metal and then looking for your teeth marks was one way to ascertain if the metal you were holding could be real gold. Unfortunately, for all of those Olympic Medal biters, there is very little gold in those medals (about 6 grams or just over 1% of the weight of the total medal.) Those medals are actually mostly silver, which is another soft metal but not quite as soft as gold, with some copper making up the rest of the mix.

It is the softness of gold and silver which makes the metals so valuable for making jewelry. The metal can be easily bent into whatever shape or design that is required. But if you are not careful with your jewelry, it is also easy to bend it out of the intended shape. That is one of the reasons why very little jewelry is actually solid gold. Our jewelry often contains the precious metals that we desire combined with other stronger metals, increasing both the strength and durability of the jewelry. But even then gold, and silver, jewelry is easily damaged.

The author of 2 Samuel says that David took gold shields from Hadadezer’s officers. But we really don’t exactly know what the writer might be indicating with the statement. It is possible that it was some kind of decoration or insignia that the officers were wearing that David had confiscated from them. The problem with it being gold battle shields is that a gold shield would have been relatively useless in battle. The metal was too soft and would be easily bent and destroyed. Gold shields did serve a ceremonial purpose, but they would never have been brought onto the battlefield. If it were gold battle shields that David collected, then that means that Hadadezer’s officers were confident that they were not going to be involved in a fight.

Whatever it was that David took, it was ceremonial in nature. And it indicated the total dominance of David, not just over the battlefield, but over the culture as well.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 60