Posts

Posted on

May 29



I Kings 1-3

We are in the Nation Stream today and we say goodbye to King David. We are reading from the Modern English Version this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

“Lord we ask for your wisdom too.  Thank you for granting what is right to those who ask.  Amen.”
 
Kings is good especially for noting dates and chronology. It is the history that is concurrent (much of it is anyway) with Chronicles.  Chronicles is written from the perspective of the south where the Temple and Jerusalem was.  Kings is written in the north and mostly of the activity there.  We see the phrase, “seek the Lord” in Chronicles about two dozen times where in those same stories found in Kings, that phrase is not in the literature.  So Kings [after the split in ch. 12] and the story of the north Kingdom is narrating the lives of these tribes gone deliberately pagan, whereas in Chronicles narrating the life in the south, there are at least periods of reform and an attempt to follow God. Of the 20 kings of the northern Kingdom from 930 – 722 B.C. none were descendants of David. Whereas in the south, 19 of the 20 kings were descendants of David. 
 

1 – Kings opens with David being nearly out of time and it is getting nervy in Jerusalem as Solomon is to be the king in succession, but Adonijah thinks he should be king. Adonijah’s older brothers Absalom, Amnon, and an obscure brother “Chiliab” were all dead so Adonijah assumed it was all his now. Some prominent people sided with Adonijah, but the vital leaders did not. Adonijah became pompous and forceful and started parading and making sacrifices and struck up the party as if he were already the king. In another part of town, Bathsheba; Solomon’s mother, and Nathan met with David to insist that David assert what ought to be done and make the declaration openly about who should follow him as King. So David makes it plain (also in I Chr. 22:6-10). Zadok the priest (“zadok” means ‘righteous’ in Hebrew) was the priest that anointed Solomon. The parade and music for Solomon was thunderous in comparison. Adonijah’s group then heard it and scattered as Adonijah was now fearful for his life. Solomon was gracious here and let Adonijah go free…at least here anyway.

 
2 – David gives his final charge to Solomon –> to follow the Lord completely. He also warns Solomon of a few men in the country who have rebellious hearts.  David then departs this world and Solomon is king outright.  Adonijah had survived trying to take the throne, but his request to have his father’s nurse as a wife gets him executed. Abiathar the Priest is exiled and relieved of duty.  Joab, also in another intriguing story, is executed at Solomon’s orders for not being wholeheartedly yielded to David and the throne.  Looking back, Joab was zealous for the King but his zeal got ahead of his wisdom when he jumped in too quickly with Adonijah and his “FAD” [king For-A-Day.] Shimei also had to die. He had cursed King David during Absalom’s rebellion. Solomon was lenient at the outset but Shimei’s undoing came when he couldn’t adhere to Solomon’s final warning and orders to him. Shimei is executed. Solomon is now king uncontested by rivals or rebels.
 
3 – Solomon married and brought an Egyptian wife to Jerusalem. It was a political move that was a “headwater issue” that would, in time, turn him astray from his faith (I Ki. 11:1 – Solomon, HOWEVER loved many foreign women…). Here he is just starting out and in his first season as King, this is his first recorded stunt. As one wise preacher has said in his observations of life, “the death of many endeavors is programmed right into the birth of it.” It’s an interesting item of concern for sure.  The Temple is not built and it needs to be – as David had urged Solomon (that is mentioned in Chronicles, not Kings).  So Solomon is making a sacrifice one evening and the Lord appears in a dream and grants Solomon his request for wisdom to govern.  Jesus said “ask and you shall receive” almost 1000 years after this but this same trinity/God is granting requests long before it is articulated by our Savior in the flesh.  And Solomon receives!
-his wisdom is put to the test when two unsavory mothers come to him both claiming that the live baby is theirs and the dead one is the other’s. What to do.                    It’s an unfortunate issue in life that the person who cares least about what is right is often the one in charge. For example, at a troubled school in a distressed area, who is in charge in the classroom? The student who wants to learn and grow, the teacher who can’t get kids to behave anyway, or the deviant student who brought a weapon to school?  It’s obvious and it’s sad who’s in charge.  In a strained relationship, who is in control of it, the one who wants to preserve it or the one who doesn’t care about it?! It’s also unfortunate that the one who doesn’t care rules the atmosphere via the  mental vandalism of it.
Well here the woman who crushed her baby in her sleep wants the other baby to die since she is jealous and a lecherous woman anyway.  How does Solomon reveal the truth? His offer brings out her reaction of urging Solomon, “go ahead and cut it in half” is what gave her away.  Solomon employs his wisdom and his ruling leaves the whole nation in awe.
 
Posted on

May 28

 

Exodus 30-33

We are in the World Stream as God continue to give Moses instructions. We are reading from the Modern English Version this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord Jesus, there is such a disturbing disparity between your glory and your desire for us against the behavior we witness at the first sign that people feel discouraged or bored or perplexed.  Let us be like Moses who wants you and to know you and to be with you more than life itself.  Amen.

The directions involved for the Tabernacle and the articles within continue here.  What started five chapters back is still going on.  If it helps to keep oriented, the Directions for the Tabernacle encompass ch’s. 25-31 of Exodus.  The orders are all given, it’s time for Moses to return to the people and guess what is going on . . . 

30 – The description resumes today with the Altar of Incense. Keeping the big picture, we are inside the Holy Place; a 30′ X 15′ sectioned off area that is inside the “courtyard” of the entire 150′ X 75″ area that has a 12′ high curtain of goat hair surrounding everything. Back in this Holy Place are four items: the Altar of Incense, the Golden Table, on that is the Bread of the Presence (of the Lord), and the Golden Lampstand.  The Altar of Incense was most holy to the Lord and incense was to be burning on it continually and for all generations.  The insinuation was that the Lord is sweet to us and He is always here.
-a 1/2 shekel offering was to be made by all unto God for atonement.  Everyone 20 and older must take part in this.
-a large Bronze Basin was to be built, placed and filled with water.  Aaron and his sons were to wash hands and feet before coming into the tent or near the altar. Coming in dirty meant death – so this is a memo they best adhere to … along with the rest of them!
-As for the anointing oil, here it is in our terminology: it is 12+1/2 lbs. of Myrrh, 6+1/4 lbs. of cinnamon, 6+1/4 lbs. of cane, 12+1/2 lbs. of cassia, mixed together with a gallon of pure olive oil. Pardon the crass visual but a 5-gallon bucket is not big enough to mix this in. Imagine the aroma as this is expertly mixed and then dabbed upon the tent, the fabrics, the ark, the utensils, the altars and the basins.  ‘Ever walk into a place and react, “wow, it stinks in here!” Well, entering the House of God had the opposite effect. All inhaled and thought, “wow, I love this place!” This and the Incense that was compounded with frankincense and ground and them placed in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting was a very sacred commodity.  All research even today shows that an aroma is the greatest trigger of memory. They were to associate this overwhelming sweet savor with the presence of God, and to never forget how sweet it is to be with God
 
31 – Two men, Bezalel and his “right hand man” Oholiab, are to lead in the building of everything that has been prescribed for building and making in this last five chapters. They were the chief artisans for the Tabernacle and everything was to be made exactly according the “blueprints” that God has been giving to Moses for much of the last 40 days since Moses was called into God’s presence to note all this.
-The stern reminder to remember the Sabbath is laid down. And God is not doing this to be a bully-to-fools-who-stacks-up-rules.  He wants people to be refreshed and rested not always working themselves into a stupor and then living in a stupor. This pleases no one; not even the workaholic who can’t get himself to pull away and rest a bit.
 
32 – This golden calf scene is a mess!  The people are wondering where Moses is as he is on Sinai in a cloud, surrounded by fire and taking notes. Moses was in a VERY intense lecture series! But when it approaches 40 days with Moses away, the people revert and dive right back into worship of “the cow”.  The ‘bull’ was the principle god of Egypt, names “Apis”.  This was also the illicitly instituted false god of the northern kingdom 4-5 centuries later from 930 – 722 B.C.  Egypt worshiped the cow because it gave beef, bones for tools, milk, fertilizer, horns for decoration, leather, and the cow provided strength for plowing. This was what Israel was immersed in for 400 years in Egypt. Some muse that the Israelites can’t be blamed for being oriented as such, but honestly! -after seeing the dozens of miracles since the plagues, the Exodus, the water, the fire, the cloud, the manna, the quail – this rebellion is inexcusable. They were carrying on like a alcohol party gone amok after midnight on a weekend in a pagan university town where stolen furniture was thrown into heap and burned and all the kooks are half-dressed and dancing in circles around it.  Aaron’s explanation is as preposterous as their behavior!  Moses’ plea with God [both times] is admirable; the mark of a true leader. Nonetheless there is punishment to be administered and 3,000 Israelites die for this shameful pagan revelry.
 
33 –  After all this, it’s time to move on.  God gives assurance of destiny, family security, victory, provision and blessing BUT their attitude must be dealt with first.  There must be complete repentance.

-The Lord would meet with Moses the way any true-hearted Believer ought desire to speak with God.  Face-to-face, [look again at Exo. 33:11]. This is virtually the most astonishing verse in the whole Old Testament from Creation in Genesis 1 to Malachi 4 written some 3600 years later!. God and Moses had a most endearing and historical conversation and assured him that He would be with him wherever he traversed. Moses revered the Presence of God most of all. Moses would go when God moved.  Moses would not move on alone; with Him only.  How about us???

 
Posted on

May 27

 

I Corinthians 7-9

We are in the Church Stream today reading from the New International Version.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

7 – The Corinthians had questions about marriage. It was a racy town with an ungodly heritage, and sexual matters in the region of Corinth were anything but healthy and resolved.  The Christians needed to know how to handle issues within this realm and Paul set things straight right here.  In the matter of sex – if you are to leave it alone (because you are single) then leave it alone. If engaged, get it going and marry and don’t play games or defraud or be cruel but be availed and surrendered to each other within the “bedroom”.  Separating and divorcing is not OK. In other words, don’t be playing “musical spouses”. Paul’s advice is just smart, healthy and best.  The most important aspect of one’s life is that they live like a Believer; because we are!  Slave/Free, circumcised/or not, it’s all immaterial. We are Christ’s!  And about the married, the virgins, Paul has very good advice and we best listen to all of it.  Some groups have created marriage rules and forbidden marriage to certain people unless there is approval from a church committee. This is not a good thing. Some forbid marriage altogether based upon occupation or calling. There are pros and cons regarding this and the discussion is still open. It’s best to listen to the Lord and do what the Spirit tells each person in any circumstance.

 
8 – the issue with the meat sacrificed to idols (and remember, in the Greek, “idol” means “a nothing”) it is most important that we not be offensive or ebullient toward anyone else. We are to build eachother up and not be trying to “teach it to others” or, as the phrase goes, “stick to the other”    as if we were touting that we’ve gotten over the past but “youuuuu” are still hung up or reacting to what others used to be or used to be doing.  It’s nothing to be ugly or judgmental about. Drop these peripheral matters as quickly as possible and be peaceable and promote Church unity and encouragement.
 
9 – Paul was paid for his ministry in Philippi. Here in Corinth, however, as in Ephesus and in Thessalonica, he was not, but supported himself through other means of a trade that he had learned prior.  Paul wanted to be doing more that was asked of him and not to be demanding or even needing to ask for support. He also did not want to set an example that may be abused later by the slovenly or even false teachers who might even remotely think, “I’ll give you faith, but you’re going to pay me for it.”  Are ministers worthy of their hire? absolutely. But Paul is just laying this principle out so to make certain that there is not a hint of greed or selfishness that goes along with serving the Lord.
-Paul asserts that we are free in Christ and are to use that freedom to promote Christ and never to abuse the concept of freedom in that the exercise thereof may jeopardize others finding freedom in Christ also.  He also reminds us that this faith, this discipleship we live requires discipline.
 
The Thread through the Streams

In Exodus we read of the details details details required for the altar, the courtyard, the oil, the garments and the priests and more. This all pertained to God’s house. They give attention to all this and God says, “Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.”  These details mattered!

 -In II Sam. there was a matter that needed to be dealt with cc. the Gibeonites from something that happened long ago.  David had some final words, this is vital! He built an altar and there was a detail that best be deleted when he took a census against better judgment and theological wisdom.  These details matter.

-David was fastidious to list his woes to God in these Psalms. These are confessions. We need to do the same and lay our concerns before God; EACH one and let him handle the details v.s. us living in neurotic denial and reactionary behaviors that are detrimental to our faith.
–Jeremiah opens with “cursed are those who do not obey the terms of the covenant.” Each part mattered and they had long become sloppy in Jerusalem. And refusal to mind the details let to rampant sin that only became worse and worse.
–Hosea basically itemizes the sins of Israel.  The riot act is being read to them and they have no argument
-in Mark, Jesus was asked four distinct questions and Jesus answered them line by line and decoded the true / ill intent of their hearts.  He then turned and warned the crowd against following the teaching of the leaders in Jerusalem during that time.  Not only were the rules these false teachers laying out extremely detailed and burdensome, they were just plain wrong.
–I Cor. 7-9 gave a goldmine list of details for marriage, status, freedom, attitudes, tenants for moving from a pagan world to the Christian world and how to manage the many phases that people found themselves in, payment to minsters, personal freedoms and more.  Hey, thank God for Paul and God using him so distinctively.