READING FOR MARCH 21, 2025: 1 SAMUEL 17, ROMANS 7, PSALM 22:12-21 1 SAMUEL 17 Once again Israel faces off against the Philistines. Do we have concerns that seem to keep confronting us? This likely will always be the case in this fallen world. What can this chapter show us? Here the Philistine threat is the person of Goliath, a man of enormous height, who challenges Israel to send out someone to battle him. We might be faced today with enemies of God who ridicule the Bible, tease us because of our lack of conformity to the culture’s values, or tempt us to put our ultimate trust somewhere other than with God. This threat of Goliath over 40 days effectively terrorized Israel: “they were dismayed and very fearful” (vs.11). Are we similarly dismayed and fearful, or even worse: giving in to the enemy?
The first step in God’s victory over Goliath was with the shepherd David obeying his father in bringing food to his brothers who were soldiers. Often, we can’t perceive the straight line from obedience in a seemingly minor task to achieving a great victory over a mighty foe. Remember the value Samuel placed on obedience: “to obey is better than a sacrifice” (1 Sam. 15). Let’s be faithful in whatever God has given us to do. David’s brothers, however, criticized David as he sought to ascertain information about Goliath, implying that he was leaving the sheep unattended. Yet, Jesse, David’s father, asked David to give him an update on the situation: “Look into the well-being of your brothers and bring back confirmation from them. For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the Valley of Elah, fighting the Philistines” (vs 18-19). Those who haven’t been criticized for doing their duty, likely have never done their duty.
King Saul got word that David was asking about Goliath and requested to see him. Saul, considering only external appearances, immediately dismissed David’s ability for the job. David was gifted in explaining how his previous experiences defending sheep against lions and bears uniquely qualified him to defeat Goliath. (He would have been great at job interviews.) And in fact, David got the job. Saul was well-intentioned in seeking to outfit David in traditional armor, but David knew that his past successes would not transfer to this situation if he used these traditional methods. He wisely trusted in the Lord and methods God had blessed before. Of course, this amused Goliath who completely underestimated David. This is a common mistake those opposing God’s people make. How else would anyone think they could get away with defying almighty God or His people?
The resulting defeat over Goliath lit the courage of the Israelites: “Then men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted, and they pursued the Philistines” (vs. 52). Can we also find courage today from the victory of our champion, Jesus Christ? “In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:13).
READINGS FOR MARCH 21, 2025 CONTINUED: ROMANS 7, PSALM 22:12-21 ROMANS 7 The phrase “difficult to interpret” has been used before in these study guides, but nowhere in the Bible is such a phrase more applicable than for Romans 7. St. Augustine, possibly the greatest Christian thinker from the apostles to the sixteenth century, wrote retractions in which he altered his previous interpretation of this chapter. Here goes.
Verses 5 and 6 appear to serve as an overview for much of chapters 7 and 8. Verse 5 refers to life before the cross and verse 6 to life now possible after the work of Jesus. One could then look at verses 7:7-25 as describing this first state in greater detail while verses 8:1-17 more fully describes the present Christian experience. One interpretive key is that in verses 7:7-25 the Holy Spirit is never mentioned but is mentioned 15 times in 8:1-17. Remember Jesus’s comments from John about the essential role the Spirit plays in the believers’ life.
Paul’s use of the first-person singular starting with 7:7, might be a literary technique referring to all people or possibly all children of Abraham. This is because of the unfolding progression that begins with a time before his birth: pre-Mosaic law. He argues that the Mosaic Law was good and holy because it informed him (i.e., humanity) of sin, but at the same time sin used this greater clarity to increase sin, which as we know leads to death. From verses 14-24 we see the inner torment of assenting mentally to the truth of the Law but not being capable of obeying the Law. The struggle climaxes with a desperate plea in verse 24 for someone to deliver Paul (i.e., humanity). The answer in verse 25 seems to be Jesus. Chapter 8 then picks of the theme of what is now possible through Jesus and the indwelling of the Spirit.
PSALM 22:12-21 This chapter elaborates on David’s present anguish and moves in verses 19-21 towards pleas for God’s deliverance. The allusions to Jesus’s crucifixion are too detailed to miss. David stands in the tradition of Old Testament prophets whose pronouncements had dual meanings. The reference to a cleaving tongue in verse 15 points to Jesus’s comment while on the cross: “Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, said, ‘I am thirsty’” (John 19: 28). In Verse 16 David says they pierced my hands and my feet. After the resurrection, Jesus shows these wounds to his disciples as evidence He is alive: “Why are you frightened, and why are doubts arising in your hearts? See My handsand My feet” (Luke 24:34-35). In verse 18, David complains they were staring at him and dividing his clothing by casting lots. And Jesus? “And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves. And the people stood by, watching” (Luke 23: 34-35). In verse 19-21, David pleads for deliverance, a wise action for all in danger. Of course, Jesus did not have this option: “Struck down by God, and humiliated. But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). REFLECT ON THIS QUIETLY.
