READING FOR MARCH 26, 2025, 1 SAMUEL 20, ROMANS 10, PSALM 24:1-6 1 SAMUEL 20 Having people angry with us without our knowing why is frustrating. We wrack our brain trying to imagine what we have done and usually still can’t guess the cause. Saul was angry at David due to jealousy and a false belief that David was seeking to overthrow him. This reason apparently didn’t occur to David, whose heart was purer than Saul’s. Jonathan, like-- wise, didn’t know the reason, but he thought he might be able to tamp down Saul’s anger. David suggested a plan to find out by not appearing at Saul’s table for the first-of-the=month feasts. He told Jonathan to tell Saul he had to miss these feasts because he was called to be at his father’s house in Bethlehem. (The text doesn’t say what David actually did, so no comment will be made regarding David’s honesty). David told Jonathan, if there is a legitimate reason for Saul’s anger, Jonathan should kill David himself.
Jonathan promised to inform David of Saul’s state of mind so that David could flee if neces- sary. He in turn extracted a commitment from David not to harm him or his descendants. David fulfilled this pledge many years later to Jonathan’s sole surviving heir. This reveals that Jonathan already knew that David, not he, would succeed to the throne. Jonathan proposed that he pretend to be taking target practice. If the arrows go past David’s location, it will be a sign that Saul still seeks to kill David. When Jonathan returned, Saul did not believe Jonathan’s story and in fact ascertained that Jonathan was really working with and for Daivd. The text states Jonathan understood Saul’s intent when “Saul hurled his spear at him to strike and kill him” (vs 33). (It would hard to miss that point!) Jonathan gave David the message via arrow, and they said their goodbyes with great sorrow.
David is remembered as a great king, warrior, musician, and “man after God’s own heart.” But, by looking at each man’s entire life, it’s hard not to come away considering Jonathan the bet- ter person. He was willing to give up his lofty position and experience Saul’s wrath out of his great love for David. In these ways Jonathan foreshadowed Jesus. In these ways we should be a friend to others: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5-8).
ROMANS 10 Paul begins this chapter in much the same way as he began chapter 9. It is another expression of his deep desire for his fellow Jews to come to faith in Jesus. This counters two extreme views about the Jews, both of which this chapter seems to refute. One view, known as Replacement Theology, is that the Jews have no special significance in the New Testament, that anytime Israel is mentioned it means the church. The other is that the Jews really don’t need to be evangelized because they are already chosen by God: “It does not in any way follow that the Jews are excluded from God’s salvation because they do not believe in
READING FOR MARCH 26, 2025 CONTINUED: ROMANS 10, PSALM 24:1-6 Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel and the Son of God” (Vatican 2015). Not according to Paul.
Paul mentioned an interesting problem that Israel had that also really describes his own condition prior to Damascus. Israel was enthusiastically religious but did not understand correct doctrine. Could this describe some of us? Do we all know the basics of the Gospel? According to Paul, we are not saved if we don’t? Paul also suggests we are not saved by doing good deeds in the community, singing in the choir, giving money, or serving on a church committee. How are we saved? If we only could choose one verse to memorize, understand, and obey, we could not do better than Romans 10:9: “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Are we all aware that we are all lost in sin and separated from God until we believe in the saving work of Jesus on the Cross? Do we all trust Him as Lord by constantly looking to His Word and obeying His commands as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit? Verse 12 says both Jew and Greek need to do this. Even Hoosiers need to do this. But Paul is concerned that some may not believe because they have not heard. Do we have friends or loved ones who have not really heard this message, at least from someone they trust. Who will tell them?
Paul concludes this chapter giving a tease or preview of chapter 11. As he frequently does, he uses Old Testament texts to explain how Israel’s rejection of Jesus was expected and how non-Jews will first come to faith in greater number, eventually making the Jews more jealous to know Jesus. The final verse emphasizes that the door is still open for the Jews. We learn about this in greater and glorious detail in chapter 11.
PSALM 24:1-6 The Psalm opens contemplating God’s earth and everything in it. On February 5, 2024 our study began with God creating a world that was perfectly fit for humanity (Psalm 24:1-2) and a garden where Adam and Eve related harmoniously with God. Since the fall, creation is marred but still reveals the Glory of God (Psalm 19). Since the fall, God still interacted with humans, if not face to face. He originally focused on His chosen people Israel (children of Jacob), pointing to a time when fuller reconciliation could occur (2 Cor.5:17-21).
We know from Romans 3: 23 that all humankind has sinned, so who among us is worthy to stand in His holy place (Psalm 24:3)? Who among us has clean hands, a pure heart and has not lifted his soul to deceit (Psalm 24:4)? A similar question is posed in Revelation 5:2: “Who is worthy to open the book and to break the seals?” At first, no one in heaven, on earth, nor under the earth was found worthy. But then a song rang out: ‘Worthy are You (Jesus) to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation. You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth’” (Rev. 5:9-10).
When we place our faith in Jesus, who alone is worthy, we receive His righteousness (Rom. 10:3-6), along with fellow believers from all over the world. We will serve with them as priests who in some sense will reign on the earth. Maybe we have had a position of responsibility in our professional lives, but our biggest and most exciting assignment is yet to come.
