READING FOR MARCH 6, 2025: 1 SAMUEL 6, MATTHEW 24, PSALM 17:8-15                                1 SAMUEL 6 While the Philistines were wrong not to worship the God of Israel, they did learn lessons from God’s dealings with the Egyptian Pharoah many centuries earlier. They learned that rather than exploiting their possession of the ark, as Pharoah tried with the Hebrew slaves, it was better to release the ark and even include guilt offerings. In fact, they emulated Gideon by developing a test to see if it was God who had caused their illnesses. If the milk cows pulling the cart carrying the ark took it to the Israelite town of Beth-shemes, they would assume that the God of Israel had indeed been the source of their problems. God verified this notion by bringing the cows to a stop at Joshua’s field in Beth-shemes. 

The people of Beth-shemes were initially overjoyed and likely shocked by seeing the ark come to their town unattended by humans. They offered to God as a sacrifice the cows pulling cart and built a monument commemorating this important event. However, by lifting up the lid and looking inside the ark, they forgot the command God had given them through Moses: “The sons of Kohath shall come to carry them [holy objects] by the poles, so that they will not touch the holy objects and die” (Num. 4:15).  The details of these commands point to God’s holiness and remind us to approach Him on His terms, not ours. We come to God today only through faith in Jesus: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Fatherexcept through me” (John 14:6).

As a result of this disobedience, God kept his word and executed judgment on Beth-shemes. There is discrepancy among the translations about how many people were killed. The NSAB and King James Version put the number at 50,070, while the NIV and English Standard Version has only 70. The main fact was God’s wrath against His disobedient people. A concern about the higher number is that the population of the entire town was likely less than 50,000. Another factor is the ancient historian Josephus put the number at 70: “But now it was that the wrath of God overtook them and struck seventy persons dead of the village of Bethshemesh:  who not being Priests, and so not worthy to touch the ark, had approached to it” (Antiquities of the Jews).  This tragedy led the people to send the ark to Kiriath-jearim, where it remained until the reign of King David. 

MATTHEW 24 It is amazing how Jesus turned the disciples’ casual remark about the temple into a dramatic overview of the near and distant future. Jesus’s statement that the temple would be in ruins prompted His disciples’ curiosity. They asked a complex follow up question, likely assuming all three parts of their question dealt with one event: the destruction of the temple to occur when Jesus returns at the end of the age. Jesus, seizing on the complexity offered Him, answered with what appears to be a dual prophecy: describing 1) the destruction of the temple by Rome in 70 A.D. and 2) the return of Jesus, on which we still await. 

READINGS FOR MARCH 6, 2024: MATTHEW 24, PSALM 17:8-15                                     Remember the unexpected way the predicted return of Elijah was fulfilled by John the Baptist. Also consider the apparent dual prophecy from Isaiah 7:10-15 foretelling both the births of Jesus (Matt.1:23) and Maher-shalai-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:3-4). Thus, the wisest approach might be to focus more on what Jesus tells His disciples to expect and how to behave than by piecing together the precise sequence of events with 100% confidence.

Many Evangelical scholars look at Matt. 24:3-35 as mostly referring to the destruction of the temple. Assuming this viewpoint, we then see Jesus preparing His disciples for challenges leading up to 70 A.D.: false Messiahs, conflicts, natural disasters, religious persecution, and professing believers leaving the faith. As we have seen before when Jesus sent his disciples out for ministry, He gives them a realistic understanding of what they will face. He urges them not to be misled, to persevere in their faith, and to get out of Jerusalem before the besiegement begins. Jesus’s reference to the Abomination of Desolation from Daniel suggests another abomination along the lines of Antiochus Epiphanes (167 BC) will soon emerge. Notice in verse 34 Jesus says this generation will still be alive at that time. Some verses prior to verse 36 do point more to Christ’s return:1) the Gospel must first be preached throughout the world (vs. 14) and 2) the manner of Jesus’s return in the clouds (vs. 26-31). 

From verses 36 to 51, the focus is entirely on Jesus’s second coming. Jesus clearly states no can predict the exact time of His return, yet people keep trotting out predictions. Whenever someone does, we can immediately discount the credibility of their interpretation. Sometimes one hears people wondering if Jesus is already here, lying low as a normal person. Others are afraid they might somehow miss His return. Matthew 24 is consistent with the entire New Testament that Christ’s return cannot be missed. He will descend on the clouds for all to see. 

Throughout this passage we can hear Jesus pleading with us to get ready for His return (or our own unexpected death and entrance into eternity.)  We need to be certain that Jesus is our Lord and Savior today (Rom. 10:9). If we have any friends and loved ones who are unsaved, we are a poor friend and loved one if we don’t pray and point them to Jesus. Finally, if we are believers, we should live our lives totally with the kingdom priorities Jesus has shown us in His Word. Millions of believers over two centuries have testified that total commitment to Jesus brings total joy. On the other hand, living for self is equated with being cut in two and constant weeping and gnashing of teeth. Whatever that is, it doesn’t sound pleasant.  

PSALM 17:8-15 David identifies two categories of people: Which describes us? Loved ones?