Monday, May 4, 2009

Day 10: 1 Samuel 19-20

Here we go, back to our 28 Day Reading Challenge. I know there are many of you joining us after taking the weekend to catch up on the reading, welcome. Today's reading is from 1 Samuel 19-20.

Chapter 19:
This chapter is crazy. It starts with Saul trying to kill David, only to be thwarted by the people in his own family saving David's life (Jonathon and Michal). Then it turns into a big pentecostal mess and everyone is laying in the floor prophesying. I'm not sure what to take away from this chapter other than it is good to have friends who have your back and who are looking out for you like David had.

Chapter 20:
Sometimes friendship in the LORD can be stronger than blood. Jonathon and David had a special friendship that God had brought together. Jonathon wasn't concerned about his position as waiting king, as many would had been. He was more concerned with the well being of his friend. David flees from Saul and from this point on, he'll be on the run until Saul is dead.

Do I have friends that are this close to me? I believe I really do. It is sad to them embrace at the end because they know it is probably the last time. It makes me long for friendships with that kind of depth to them. That is something for all of us to learn from.

7 comments:

  1. Ch.19Saul's ignorance constantly amazes me...he assumes that all beckon to his call, which I guess would be assumed since he is king...even expects his daughter to betray her husband David..also love the fact that when he sent his men after David they began to prophesy and then he basically goes after him himself...only to end up prophesying as well...

    Take Away Are there times when the spirit is at work and we ignore the work being done and think we can do something better and on our own?

    Ch. 20If only the people of the church had a bond this strong as David & Jonathan...it would be an incredible thing...how we should long for this!

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  2. Josh, your remark about the church connecting like David and Jonathon is right on. I'm preaching on that concept this coming Sunday.

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  3. OK, so I think I read this in the prime of an A.D.D. moment and perhaps with an elevated awareness of the non-essentials, rather than the overall theme. I tend to read the Bible for my benefit and with the eye of a non-believer and yesterday's message must be on my mind. I get challenged by friends (highly intelligent ones at that) and I like to have answers. So here are my questions:
    1. I know someone sort of addressed this the other day, but the whole "evil spirit from the Lord thing" doesn't sound God-like at all. The footnote says "injurious." I wish this was better explained and wonder if the translation butchered the true concept.
    2. I think it is strange that as long as Saul thought David was ceremonially unclean he was comfortable with his absence from the celebration. (24) But when he thought he was doing something honorable like preparing a sacrifice on behalf of his family, he went into a rage. To me this shows where Saul's spirit was at. To others I wonder if it is another example of hypocrisy in religion.
    3. Saul calling his daughter, "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman" in verse 30 makes my feminist blood boil. It couldn't possibly be that he is a jerk and totally wrong. It HAS to be that his daughter somehow inherited awful character from her mother. UGH. One example of many that kept ME from fully "trusting" the Bible as God's true word. The stories and treatment of many women throughout. I have found resolution, many have not.
    4. I think even more powerful than the love Jonathon had for David was his morale code or ethical standards. Verse 34 says, "Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father's shameful treatment of David." I'm sure it escalated his passion because of their closeness, but it appears the Word keeps making reference that Jonathon simply knew Saul was in the wrong. ***Notice also, that as a man, his mamma wasn't brought into this, but I'm jus' say'n...

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  4. Addendum: He DID call Jonathon the son of a perverse woman...see...ADD kicking in. It wasn't his daughter. (Looking for Adderall bottle...). Had another Bible story in my mind at the same time when I read that. Dangerous! ;)

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  5. Jealousy is a power tool of Satan......Galatian 5:26 "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

    These chapters do offer spiritual insight for the Church today. Josh mentioned the bond between Jonathan and David. Such reality is needed today if we are to be protected against jealousy in the church.

    God brought David to serve along side of Saul. Saul wanted all the glory and David spoke of only giving Glory to God. Saul failed to see that God had a brought a servant heart to serve with him. Because of his jealousy he never got to experience the wonder of "unity of the brethern" as is spoken of in Psalm 133.

    Jonathan's love for David is a foreshadowing of the love we ought to have for each other and that at times it is costly to protect !!

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  6. I don't have a lot too add because you guys cover everything so well. The thing in these two chapters that stood out the most to me was when Jonathan and David wept, but David wept more. David finally realized he would have to leave and be shunned from everything he loved or be killed. By leaving Jonathan he would have noone left to depend on but God. It is easy to question why God allows some of his best followers to go through such trials in life. We know that God loves David and is with him, so why let him suffer like this? I believe God allows us to go through these things to bring us closer to him and cause us to depend only on him.

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  7. Great thoughts everyone! Amber, I hear you on the whole woman issue in the Scriptures, it can be difficult sometime for women to reconcile apparent gender exclusion. Plus, Saul calling his daughter bad names is real low class.

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