Chronological Bible Blog

April 25th Chronological Bible Readings

2 Samuel 8:15-18; 1 Chronicles 18:14-17; 1 Chronicles 6:16-30; 1 Chronicles 6:50-53; 1 Chronicles 6:31-48; 2 Samuel 9-10:19; 1 Chronicles 19:1-19
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

Old Testament - Interesting set of readings today and tomorrow in Second Samuel.  In chapter 9 we read about David showing kindness to Saul's crippled grandson Mephibosheth and we end with David committing adultery in tomorrow's readings, ordering the murder of one of his warriors, and making God very unhappy.  What happened to change the course of events like this??  I think this is something that each one of us should take heed of - even when things are going very well in our walk with God, things can suddenly go the wrong direction if we are not vigilant in fleeing from sin and temptation.  David was obviously tempted when he saw Bathsheba from his rooftop.  He should have left that temptation there, and fled from it immediately - but instead he gave into it.  He asked about Bathsheba (entertaining temptation...) and invited her over and then committed adultery.  Then... things got worse.  That's how sin goes.  Once we let it start to run our life it can quickly start to ruin our life.  David thought he could trick Uriah into thinking Uriah got his wife pregnant - but Uriah in chapter 11 was behaving much more honorably than the king!  He would not sleep with his own wife when he knew other warriors were sleeping on the battlefields.  Uriah acted honorably.  David did not.  David allowed sin to run the show.  Below is a powerful painting by James Tissot showing the moment on the rooftop where David allowed temptation to take over...

Worship God: Today's readings in Second Samuel remind me of the Delirioius song "Investigate:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZiahchgemY

Has you life been investigated by God? Click here for an investigation!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people." 2 Samuel 8:15 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you will do what is just and right for all areas of your life - your family, church, job, health, etc.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

April 24th Chronological Bible Readings

2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15; 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Chronicles 17:16-27; 2 Samuel 8:1-14; 1 Chronicles 18:1-13; Psalm 60
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

 

Second Samuel 7 today is a big chapter!  God essentially establishes a covenant with David - it isn't expressly called a covenant, so I suppose it is more of a promise.  Verse 16 is a nice sum-up of God's promise to David: "Your dynasty and your kingdom will continue for all time before me, and your throne will be secure forever.'"  The throne is secure forever because from the lineage of David comes Jesus.  Jesus is forever.  Genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3:21-38 will give you more details on this lineage.

It is interesting that God does not want David to build him a temple, but lets David know one of his descendents will in verses 12 & 13: "For when you die, I will raise up one of your descendants, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house--a temple--for my name."  We will later learn the reasons for this in 1 Chronicles 28 verse 3 when David says - "But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'"  David was a warrior - as is very evident in Second Samuel 8 today.  David's purpose was to unite and establish Israel.  David's son Solomon will build the temple for God.

I love David's prayer of thanksgiving to God in 2 Samuel 7 verses 18-29 today!  How often do you pray prayers of thanksgiving like this?  After the prayer of thanksgiving, an image is below for Second Samuel chapter 8 verses 9 through 11 today: "When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the army of Hadadezer, e sent his son Joram to congratulate David on his success. Hadadezer and Toi had long been enemies, and there had been many wars between them. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze. King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had set apart from the other nations he had subdued."

Bible.org's commentary on today's Second Samuel readings today titled "Building God's House" is at this link.

I like the imagery of Psalm 60 verse 4 a lot - "But you have raised a banner for those who honor you -- a rallying point in the face of attack."  I do believe that if we honor God, he will in some profound way "raise up a banner" for us.  A banner that will rally and encourage us in the face of attack - in the face of doubt or despair or sickness or just plain old fashioned attack from the Enemy - I believe God will give us a banner of hope.  This banner could end up being one of a million different things I think, depending on the circumstances.  For me, certainly a banner that rallies me each and every day is God's very Word, the Bible.  I believe the Bible is indeed a banner that rallies us in the face of attack...   What are some banners in your life that God is providing to rally you in the face of attack?  Uh-oh, this whole banner imagery has reminded me of an old childhood song...  :)  Remember that children's song that goes something like this (over and over and over again...) - "Peter built the church on the rock of our faith.  HIS banner over me is love."?  What a great simple song!  God's love very well should be a banner in our lives!

Worship God: Today seems like a great day to share with you the entire 2 hour "JESUS" film based on the Gospel of Luke. Called by some "one of the best-kept secrets in Christian missions," a number of mission experts have acclaimed the film as one of the greatest evangelistic tools of all time. Since 1979 the "JESUS" film has been viewed by several billion people all across the globe, and has resulted in more than 225 million men, women and children indicating decisions to follow Jesus. Learn more about this film and ministry at https://www.jesusfilm.org/.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKGflMFfKmI

Do you know Jesus? Click here and meet Him!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." 2 Samuel 7:22 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray in thanksgiving to the LORD that there is no one like Him! Pray in thanksgiving that you are reading the Bible and "hearing" the good news with your own "ears" and eyes!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

April 23rd Chronological Bible Readings

2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:1-28; 2 Samuel 6:12-16; 1 Chronicles 15:29; 2 Samuel 6:17-19; 1 Chronicles 16:1-43; 2 Samuel 6:19-23
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

In Second Samuel chapter 6 when the Ark is brought back to Jerusalem verse 14 is phenomenal to imagine: "And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic."  And David's words in verse 21 are something for you and I to consider in our lives today - "So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the LORD."  Are you willing to act like a fool to show your joy in God?  Have you ever danced before God with all your might?  Think you ever could?

Bible.org's commentary on our Second Samuel readings today titled "When God Rained on David's Parade" is at this link.

Worship God: Today's readings in Second Samuel remind me of the David Crowder song "Undignified:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQeNVXY6ZIc

Will you become Undignified in dancing before God? Click here and dance!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might." 2 Samuel 6:14 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you would not be ashamed to dance before the LORD with all of your might. Pray that you will dance before the LORD now and forevermore.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

April 22nd Chronological Bible Readings

2 Samuel 5:1-3; 1 Chronicles 11:1-3; 1 Chronicles 12:23-40; 2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 14:8-17; 2 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Chronicles 11:4-9; 1 Chronicles 3:4; 2 Samuel 5:13; 2 Samuel 5:4-5; 2 Samuel 5:11-12; 1 Chronicles 14:1-2; 1 Chronicles 13:1-5; 2 Samuel 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 13:6-14
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

In Second Samuel chapter 5 David is anointed King of Israel!  Israel and Judah are now united - but they will be divided again only a short 75 years later.  Verse 7 is the first time the term Zion is used in the Bible: "But David captured the fortress of Zion, now called the City of David."  Below is a visual of Jerusalem at about this time that David conquered it from the Jebusites - and to the right the map shows the growth of Jerusalem just 50 years later in Solomon's time.  (1000 B.C. to 950 B.C.) We'll come back to this visual when we get to Solomon in our readings.

Bible.org's commentary on our Second Samuel readings today titled "A Place of One's Own" is at this link.

Worship God: Today's readings in 2 Samuel reminded me of Mike's Chair's song "Let the Waters Rise:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szg-rsdVO4E

Are the waters rising on you? Click here for rescue!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals." 2 Samuel 6:5 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you often celebrate with all of your might before the LORD in thanksgiving for all that He has done and is doing.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

April 21st Chronological Bible Readings

2 Samuel 3:6-4:3; 2 Samuel 4:5-12
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on ESVBible.org ~

In our 2 Samuel chapter 3 readings today, it is interesting to see how David got so mad at Joab for killing Abner.  Understandable for many reasons - murder being the main one - but also Abner was working to bring David's kingship to all of Israel.  Joab's murder of Abner threatened the civil war between Judah and the rest of Israel to start up again.  To the right below is a wonderful image from an illuminated Bible from the year 1250 of David dining with Abner before the murder.  In the smaller left hand frames you can see David sending Abner back to Israel, and then in the lowest left hand frame you can see Abner stabbing Joab.

And below is an image of David mourning at Abner's graveside as we read in 2 Samuel 3 verse 32 today: "They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king and all the people wept at his graveside."

Bible.org's commentary on our Second Samuel readings today titled "Two Bald Men, Fighting over a Comb" is at this link.

Second Samuel chapter 4 verse 11 stood out as David said this to the 2 murderers of Ishbosheth: "Now what reward should I give the wicked men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Should I not also demand your very lives?"  Similar to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul and reported this news to David, David was not happy with the news.  This all reminds me of the old adage that you cannot fight evil with evil - you'll get corrupted in the process.  These 2 guys murdered an innocent man, thinking they were doing a greater good for David.  David disagreed.  Are there times in our lives where we do something wrong / bad / lie / evil for what we think might be a greater good?  Aren't we then corrupted in the process?  Do we go from left to right in this photo below? :)  (sorry, couldn't resist this silly image!  On the website where I found this image, they labeled this photo, "The Dog I bought versus the Dog I got"... :)

Worship God: Today's readings in 2 Samuel reminded me of Francesca Battistelli's song "I'm Letting Go:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5BMCEW7s2I

Have you let go? Click here and let it go!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!" 2 Samuel 3:39 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that when you are weak, Jesus is strong. Pray that you will allow the LORD to repay evildoers, and not take this repayment into your own hands.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Chronological Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our Chronological Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Chronological Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!