March 3

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR MARCH 3, 2025: 1 SAMUEL 3, MATTHEW 21, PSALM 16:1-6                                    1 SAMUEL 3 Samuel was serving God during a time when God’s voice was rarely heard in Israel. It was not a time of intense overt spiritual activity, but it was still important to serve God faithfully. Is this like today?  The elderly high priest Eli was sleeping in the tabernacle, as was the boy, Samuel. Foreshadowing his time as a great prophet, Samuel’s name was called by God. As Moses answered before (Ex. 3:4) and Isaish did later (Is. 6:8), Samuel’s answer was perfect: “Here I am.”  When we hear the call of God as we read the Bible and as the Holy Spirit applies the message to our hearts, do we respond as young Samuel or do we try to hide, as did Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:8)?  Samuel at this time of life was an obedient boy but had not yet developed a relationship with God by faith (vs. 7). Thus, he thought it was Eli calling.  Eli initially just told him to go back to sleep. By the time this happened a third time, Eli figured out what God was doing and instructed Samuel to ask God to speak.  

News Flash. God has spoken to us: “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representa-- tion of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. (Heb. 1:1-3). We respond to God’s message by receiving Jesus as our savior and confessing Him as Lord—obeying his commands. 

Eli asked Samuel to convey to him every word from God: “Please do not hide it from me. May God do the same to you, and more so, if you hide a single word from me of all the words that He spoke to you!” (vs. 17). Eli was wise enough to know that every word God gives is important. In this case, the words were not that comforting to Eli.  Do we avoid some of God’s words because we don’t like them or considered them dated?  Remember the verses above from Hebrews. These words come from the creator and sustainer of the universe, not some self-important blogger. Value EACH WORD of God:

  • “The Lord was with him, and He let NONE OF HIS WORDS FAIL” (vs 19).
  • "Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the WORD OF THE LORD” (vs. 21).

MATTHEW 21 Roman ceremonial triumphs were described by William Ramsey as “a solemn procession in which a victorious general entered the city in a chariot drawn by four horses. He was preceded by the captives and spoils taken in war... followed by his troops.” This honor was given if “at least 5000 of the enemy [were] slain in a single battle.” Zechariah (c.500 BC)predicted a different triumph: “Behold your King (who fed least 5,000) is coming to you, gentleand mounted on a donkey.” Nonetheless, this strange spectacle prompted all Jerusalem to ask

the most important question in all of history: “Who is This?” The shouts of those participating in the procession offered some clues for those with ears to hear:

READINGS FOR MARCH 3, 2025 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 21, PSALM 16:1-6  

  • “Son of David” (messianic prophecy from Sam. 7:12).
  • “Hosanna” meaning please save (Jesus’s prime mission was to save sinners; see 1 Tim. 1:15-17). 
  •  “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (messianic prophecy; see Psalm 118:22-29).    

Thoughts about Jesus’s Clearing of the Temple: 

  • In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus cleared the Temple at the end of his ministry. In John, at the beginning. Was there one clearing? Differences in language lend support for two separate clearings. 
  • While the church means people “called out by God,” not a building, church buildings as well as congregations still could be considered “houses of prayer” and not institutions of commerce.

Brief thoughts about children's praise, barren fig tree, authority for ministry, and 2 parables:

  • Jesus quoted Psalm 8 to suggest children can be more spiritually discerning than religious leaders.
  • Jesus’s cursing the fig tree dramatized that God’s so called “followers” (people, institutions, or countries) who don’t bear fruit will experience severe consequences (Luke13:6, John 15:6, Matt.3:10).
  • In response to religious leaders questioning the authority for Jesus’s ministry, Jesus asked them from where John the Baptist’s derived authority. The fact these leaders were afraid to answer directly revealed they did not care about truth, only staying in power. Jesus’s approach uncovers the heart.
  • Parable of Two Sons: Sinners confessing their sins are saved; Jewish leaders who don’t are lost.
  • Parable of the Landover:  God created a perfect world and delegated stewardship to mankind. Through the disobedience of the Fall, the rejection and killing of God’s prophets, and finally the rejection and killing of Jesus by the Jewish leadership, the Jews would be scattered (diaspora) and the Gospel would be received by the Gentiles. (Rom.11 suggests all Jews will come to Jesus at the end of the age.)

PSALM 16:1-6 How can we find refuge/protection in God? By making Him our Lord. This means obeying everything He commands in the Bible. Otherwise, we make ourselves Lord and are not seeking refuge/protection from God. David states the obvious; we can’t have it both ways. Again, he echoes St. Augustine’s rightly ordered loves, figuratively saying there is nothing good except God (meaning God is the highest value). He also values other believers (i.e., saints) who model faith for him. Let’s give thanks for godly parents, pastors, teachers, authors, even historical figures such as John Wesley.  Although it might not seem so, unbelievers have a tough life and no hope in death.  Don’t envy them but love them enough to share Jesus with them. Give thanks that we have had the blessing of walking with the Lord and the fellowship of serving with other believers in such purpose-filled lives. Those who lived many years with the Lord have so very much to thank God about. We need to start now.