May 8

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR MAY 8, 2025: 1 CHRONICLES 13, 2 CORINTHIANS 9, PSALM 39:7-14                     1 CHRONICLES 13 Exact dates can be difficult to pin down in the Old Testament. It appears that the events in this chapter likely took place around 1,000 B.C. Keep this in mind for later.  David, in verse 1, practices what is called today collaborative leadership: “Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.” All business leadership books, such as Good to Great, recommend this practice. But David isn’t just another CEO; he is God’s anointed one to lead God’s people. There is no indication in the text he consulted with the Lord. This is the standard for believers and Christian organizations. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).  This means searching the scriptures and praying to God. 

The consensus decision was it was time to bring the ark of the covenant from its location at Kirjath Jearim to Jerusalem, David’s newly designated capital city. On the face of it, this seems like a godly decision; in fact, it’s hard to fault it. So, they placed the ark on a new cart and began the trip with understandable fanfare: “David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets” (vs. 8). When the cart wobbled and the ark nearly fell off, Uzzo, one of the drivers, steadied the ark with his hand. His reward for keeping the ark from tipping over? God angrily struck him dead. What happened? 

Go back to David not inquiring of the Lord. David apparently did not remember God’s command from Numbers 4:15: “The sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.”  This warning from God was just as binding as many of God’s promises we love to quote. Yes, it was likely given around 1,400 BC or 400 years before David’s time. But God still meant it to be obeyed. How often one hears today that we need to interpret the Bible in light of our current culture. Think back to 400 years ago. The pilgrims were landing in the new world. Has our culture changed slightly since then?  Yes, but God has not changed, and the New Covenant as ushered in by Jesus and the Apostles’ teaching found in the Bible remains in effect. “You have been born again not of seed, which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you” (1 Pet. 1: 23-25).

2 CORINTHIANS 9 Paul writes that it is superfluous to write about the project for which he is raising funds, so unfortunately, we don’t get more details about the need in Jerusalem.  We do know it is important enough for Paul to send his associates ahead of him to prepare for giving the offering. 

READING FOR MAY 8, 2025 CONTINUED: 2 CORINTHIANS 9, PSALM 39:7-13                            This highlights the importance he places on this gift.  Not only is he hoping for a generous gift, but he is equally concerned about the attitude that accompanies the gift.  This entire giving process has become something of an index of their spiritual maturity.

Here is an important question to consider: How can we cultivate cheerfulness in our giving?The text gives some hints: 

  • Know that God will give us sufficient grace to meet our own needs (vs. 8);
  • Know that God will give us even more to give, multiplying the ultimate harvest (vs. 10);
  • Know that our gifts will increase the net thanksgiving going to God (vs. 12);
  • Know the recipients of our gifts will glorify God because of our generosity (vs. 13);
  • Know the recipients of our gifts will in turn become our prayer supporters (vs. 14);
  • Always keep in mind we are all recipients of the gift of salvation through Jesus (vs. 15).

LET’S GET READY NOW FOR OUR NEXT OFFERING WITH A SMILE!

PSALM 39: 7-13 David concludes this Psalm with an unexpected request: Please turn away from me, God! This is not prayed very often in church. What prompts this request? In verses 8 and 12, one could infer David admits to sinning. Thus, he appears to believe he is undergoing God’s discipline. In fact, the discipline was so severe that he fears perishing from it unless God relents.  Why might David be right in this case about God’s discipline while Job’s friends were wrong?  Job’s friends did not know the circumstances of Job’s testing and did not appreciate Job’s excellent character.  David had a history of prayerful self-examination and received interventions when needed from associates such as Nathan the prophet.  Likely he was indeed experiencing pain administered by God—for his own long-term good and God’s glory. 

Here is a passage that might not be popular in many devotional books, but is extremely important for making sense of the Christian life:  “You have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are punished by Him; For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,  And He punishes every son whom He accepts.’  It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12: 5-11).