Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samuel 12
It is a little difficult for me to accept Samuel's approach to Israel at the beginning of this chapter. It seems like he is setting himself up as righteous and bragging about how good he has been. "Have I cheated you?" "Have I oppressed you?" It feels like the mistake we so often make in our dealings with friends, especially those who do not know Christ. We set ourselves up and away from them, in the seat of judgment.
But of course that is not exactly what Samuel is doing. As the chapter goes on, I realized that his words have little to do with himself, other than to clear the air for what's coming. It's just as likely that Samuel, like king David did later, could have openly confessed his wrongs first, so that the people could and would look to their own behavior. This is what it means to take the plank out of our own eye.
Samuel clears the air between he and the people, so that the real focus on the relationship between the people and God can be assessed. This is where Samuel can be an example for us. It is highly unlikely that we can point to no fault of our own, but in speaking with the non-Christian friend we can confess our lowly position. We can clear the air about our relationship and dependence on God, and show that we care as much about their relationship with Him. The word of judgment is no less, but now it is a word from God rather than only from us. And in this way forgiveness and a new like is also offered.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
1 Samuel 11
Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samuel 11
Verse 7 "Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man." There is of course a lot we could say about this chapter. This verse struck me as odd though. The Hebrew language does this a lot. Rather than saying they were unified it says they came out as one man, and the translation captures this well. What's sad is that they didn't stay as one man. They immediately began to point fingers at one another, "Who opposed Saul before? Let's put them to death." This is our current problem as God's people. We are not able to work in unity, so we squabble with each other over details and easily forget about the One who gives us life. We find fault with each other even in the midst of our (or rather God's) victories.
Yet, and there is always a "yet" with our Father, verse 7 doesn't just point to our constant return to disunity. "They came out as one man" has a deeper meaning for us. We know that Israel could not and would not fulfill their role as God's chosen son. But it was in Jesus as Israel reduced to one, that the law is fulfilled and the disobedience of God's people is punished. And so even as we continue to suffer the sin of disunity we know that we are found and united in the one man Jesus Christ. This is our reality in Baptism, and our reminder in the Lord's Supper. And it is part of our final hope in Christ's return.
Verse 7 "Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man." There is of course a lot we could say about this chapter. This verse struck me as odd though. The Hebrew language does this a lot. Rather than saying they were unified it says they came out as one man, and the translation captures this well. What's sad is that they didn't stay as one man. They immediately began to point fingers at one another, "Who opposed Saul before? Let's put them to death." This is our current problem as God's people. We are not able to work in unity, so we squabble with each other over details and easily forget about the One who gives us life. We find fault with each other even in the midst of our (or rather God's) victories.
Yet, and there is always a "yet" with our Father, verse 7 doesn't just point to our constant return to disunity. "They came out as one man" has a deeper meaning for us. We know that Israel could not and would not fulfill their role as God's chosen son. But it was in Jesus as Israel reduced to one, that the law is fulfilled and the disobedience of God's people is punished. And so even as we continue to suffer the sin of disunity we know that we are found and united in the one man Jesus Christ. This is our reality in Baptism, and our reminder in the Lord's Supper. And it is part of our final hope in Christ's return.
Monday, December 8, 2008
1 Samuel 10
Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samuel 10
Verse 6: "Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man." This is an amazing verse, that I have never noticed before. In the scheme of things, Saul's experiences seem like a brief prologue to the story of David, and yet he is not merely an aside in God's story of Salvation. He receives God's Spirit, and not just in a token way. He is changed "into another man." Now we may be skepticle about this change if we know how Saul's story ended, or we may react against the idea of becoming someone else entirely. "Wait a second God, you mean you don't just love me the way I am?" And yet, Saul's experience in a way is God's promise to us. Not to turn us into automatons, but to make us the individuals we were meant to be.
Throughout Old Testament prophecy and New Testament promise, we are told that God will give us a new heart and make us new people. In Christ we have our identity. The old sinful Adam in us is destroyed and the new man, Christ, rises from the dead. Sometimes, this causes us to scratch our heads, but sometimes, especially in our times of identity crisis, it is a strong word of hope.
Verse 6: "Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man." This is an amazing verse, that I have never noticed before. In the scheme of things, Saul's experiences seem like a brief prologue to the story of David, and yet he is not merely an aside in God's story of Salvation. He receives God's Spirit, and not just in a token way. He is changed "into another man." Now we may be skepticle about this change if we know how Saul's story ended, or we may react against the idea of becoming someone else entirely. "Wait a second God, you mean you don't just love me the way I am?" And yet, Saul's experience in a way is God's promise to us. Not to turn us into automatons, but to make us the individuals we were meant to be.
Throughout Old Testament prophecy and New Testament promise, we are told that God will give us a new heart and make us new people. In Christ we have our identity. The old sinful Adam in us is destroyed and the new man, Christ, rises from the dead. Sometimes, this causes us to scratch our heads, but sometimes, especially in our times of identity crisis, it is a strong word of hope.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
1 Samuel 9
Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samuel 9
I reread this chapter over and over again and still seemed like a regular, mundane story. Normally I am looking for some extraordinary act or turn of phrase that communicates a deep theological truth. Ok so there is the whole thing about Saul being chosen as king. And he does make an interesting statement about being from the least of the tribes. But I guess what is the most remarkable to me is how Saul comes to Samuel in the first place. He's simply been sent on errand to fetch the lost donkeys. Imagine running to the store for milk and being told you've just been elected president. Saul is in the midst of such mundane activity, and yet God is using it for His purposes. Perhaps I should take greater stock in my mundane tasks.
I reread this chapter over and over again and still seemed like a regular, mundane story. Normally I am looking for some extraordinary act or turn of phrase that communicates a deep theological truth. Ok so there is the whole thing about Saul being chosen as king. And he does make an interesting statement about being from the least of the tribes. But I guess what is the most remarkable to me is how Saul comes to Samuel in the first place. He's simply been sent on errand to fetch the lost donkeys. Imagine running to the store for milk and being told you've just been elected president. Saul is in the midst of such mundane activity, and yet God is using it for His purposes. Perhaps I should take greater stock in my mundane tasks.
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