READING FOR MARCH 4, 2025: 1 SAMUEL 4, MATTHEW 22, PSALM 16:7-11 1 SAMUEL 4 Battling the Philistines and losing God’s Glory.
Some of us older folks among us may remember the series fights between Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier. In the time of the judges and early kings of Israel, the Philistines and Israel were frequently opponents. In this chapter, the Philistines based at Aphek battled the Israelites based at Ebenezer. This first bout went to the Philistines. In debriefing this loss, the Israel thought they would win if they brought the ark of the covenant to the battle. So, they fetched it from Shiloh along with Eli’s son, the priests. This indeed rallied the spirits of Israel, which in turn concerned the enemy. (The Philistines remarkably still recalled God’s plagues against Egypt.) Nonetheless, Israel was again defeated, Eli’s sons were killed, and the ark was captured by the Philistines. Certainly, this seeming religious gesture did not bring victory from God.
In fact, this battle could be seen as God’s instrument to fulfill His prophecy made in Chapter 3 against the House of Eli: “Behold, I am going to do a thing in Israel, and both ears of everyone who hears about it will ring. On that day I will carry out against Eli everything that I have spoken in regard to his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am going to judge his house forever for the wrongdoing that he knew, because his sons were bringing a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them” (vs. 11-13). Can we expect God’s blessings while not repenting from our disobedience to Him?
Upon receiving the bad news from the front, Eli keeled over and died. At this same time, his daughter-in-law gave birth to a son. Instead making this new mother glad, she aptly captured the nation’s plight by naming her son Ichabod to emphasize that the glory of the Lord had departed Israel. Can there be any greater disaster than the loss of God’s glory?
MATTHEW 22 Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king throwing a wedding feast for his son. This corresponds to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Jesus) and his bride (the church, Eph. 5:25-27) in heaven (Rev.19:6-9). Notice, again Jesus infers his initial invitation was to the Jews, perhaps especially the religious leadership. The king (God the Father) stressed the extreme preparation that took place—in this case the cross of Christ. Those invited refused to attend and followed their normal routine, just as folks often do today upon hearing the Gospel. The king responded by destroying them with fire—as the Bible repeatedly warns that READINGS FOR MARCH 4, 2025 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 22, PSALM 16:7-11 there will be a cost for rejecting Jesus. Yet, because of their rejection, the invitation was extended much more broadly—likely referring to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). A final warning is given to those not properly dressed for the wedding. Galatians 3:26-27 states," For all are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in Christ.” JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.
Jesus’s interaction with the Pharisees and Herodians once again confirmed that followers of Jesus need not forsake their civic responsibilities, even toward a Roman government that eventually persecuted Christians. This stands in contrast to the so called “liberation theology” popular among some Central American Marxists in the late 20th century. Abraham Kuyper’s concept of “sphere sovereignty” or differentiated responsibility appears to fit this text better.
Next up, the Sadducees take a crack at Jesus. They raised an extreme example of Old Testament levirate marriages to ridicule the prospect of life after death. Jesus’s response included some key information about heaven: 1) there will be no married partners; 2) people will be like angels in this respect and; 3) we will be alive, but still will be totally distinct and subject to God. Lastly an expert of the Law tested Jesus with this question: “Which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus responded, loving God and loving neighbor. As with almost all scripture, even this response has been misunderstood. One popular Christian singer, recently featured in a Washington Post article, suggested that if she followed these two commandments her own way, she did not need to obey the rest of the Bible. Certainly, Jesus meant that we love God and love neighbor precisely by obeying the Bible in totality.
PSALM 16:7-11 In verse 7 David commits to “blessing the Lord who has counseled him.” It is puzzling if one really thinks about our blessing God. When God blesses us, we are made better off than we were before by His blessing. God cannot be made better. He always exists in a state of perfection or blessedness. Perhaps our blessing acknowledges His perfection as a form of praise. Another example: “And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you” (Deut. 8:10). Here the context suggests blessing the Lord is offering thanksgiving. The context in Psalm 16 could have either of both meanings.
Verse 10 says “Neither wilt thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.” Question: Who is this Holy One. Answer: Jesus! Let Paul’s glorious words from Act 13 inspire you: “Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’ For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things.”
God’s Presence. If one Googles the word “pleasures,” strangely, most of results are about men’s clothing. The Bible’s result is much better. Consider the words of King David: “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16: 11). Don’t settle for a pricey hoodie. Go all in with God for fullness of joy that will never end.
