Sifting Through Silt

Day 58: 2 Samuel 1–5; Jeremiah 24–30; Galatians 4–6

I begin 2 Samuel today about the rise and reign of David.  I complete Paul's letter to the Galatians and continue tramping out the vintage where God's grapes of wrath are stored as I read the major prophet Jeremiah. 

I think reading the prophets is like panning for gold.  You have to sift through a lot of silt and dirt (words of condemnation and confrontation) in order to discover a nugget of gold (words of hope and comfort).  I am so very glad I chose a 90 day reading plan that gives me only 5 chapters a day out of the prophetic writings.  God forgive me, but it is just so repetitive.  I don't think the prophets were ever meant to be read in one setting.  Rather these are collections of oracles and prophetic announcements made over time to specific people in specific circumstances.  It's best to know them and turn to them when the circumstances we live in now are similar to the events that lead God to speak through His prophets. 

Reading and knowing the prophets is a valuable endeavor.  Think of how much they prophets were read by the early church and in them they found God speaking anew in light of Jesus.  The prophets are constantly quoted throughout gospel and new testament letters.  Reading them increases the depth of my understanding of the New Testament writings.

David is anointed as king over the tribe of Judah, but Abner, the commander of Saul's army, takes Saul's son Ish-bosheth and declares him king over the rest of the tribes (more or less).  This leads to conflict. Abner rams the blunt end of his spear through the brother of Joab, the commander of David's men. 

Joab takes vengeance on his brother's death and assassinates Abner after he had been accepted by David as an ally.  Abner was offended by Ish-bosheth and switched sides.  Ish-bosheth is betrayed and murdered in his bed as he napped by his own men. 

It's a messy proposition when control of kingdoms change hands.  It is said the the Communist leader Joseph Stalin had his entire hometown murdered when he took power.  He didn't want anyone who knew him as a child to in any way discredit his authority.

While David is quite able to show brutality, he shows a level of honor that his kingdom will be built upon.  When news of Saul's death reaches him, it is delivered by an Amalekite who took pity on Saul and finished him off after his attempt at suicide.  David had the Amalekite executed for not fearing to raise his hand against the Lord's anointed.  He has the assassins of Ish-bosheth also executed.  He will not have innocent blood on his hands. He curses Joab and his family for his cruel vengeance on Abner. 

And they show his enemy respect with a proper burial.  Abner is after all an Israelite.  David wept over him. And the people approved of David's heart.  They fell in love with him and all the tribes came to him recognizing his kingship.

David and his men take Jerusalem from the Jebusites and it becomes his capital city for his kingdom.  Hiram of Tyre sends materials and craftsmen to build David a palace.  David begins to see that the Lord is fulfilling His promise to establish his kingdom.  But there will be many more battles to fully establish his authority in the region.  Like Joshua and the judges, The Lord fights for David and his men and brings victory upon victory.

Jeremiah writes to exiles in Babylon encouraging them.  The Lord says to build houses, settle down, marry, have kids, enjoy life as best you can in the city of your captors and pray for them.  For when the city proposers so will the Jews among them.  This is a different kind of coup.  This overturning of power is not by bloodshed, but by prayer and waiting faithfully upon God.  God promises a 70 year stay in Babylon and then the Hebrews will be restored to their homeland in Judah and rebuild Jerusalem.  They are to pray for the good of their enemies trusting God's justice.  When their just punishment is over they will be restored.

"For I know the plans I have for you"—[this is] the LORD's declaration—"plans for [your] welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11)."

These words still encourage hearts today.  When life is difficult it lifts the spirit to know God has a future planned for us for prosperity and not harm.  There is a treasure here in the midst of all the words of wrath and "woe unto you."

And Paul finishes his letter doing creative interpretation of scripture to convince the Galatians to return to faith in Jesus' blood sacrifice and His resurrection as the means for righteousness and not the law.  Paul calls those who trust in their ability to keep the law of Moses to be like the children of Hagar, Abraham's Egyptian slave girl through whom he had Ishmael.  And those who trust in Christ for salvation are like the children of Sarah, the children of promise.  Sinai and the law are the lot of slaves, slave of the flesh.  The New Jerusalem in heaven above is the place for the free men and women who live according to the Spirit and not the flesh.  And he makes an even greater leap when he writes,

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love (Gal. 5:6)." 

To say circumcision means nothing is severe. Especially when scripture records God saying that circumcision is a sign of the covenant. It is to be an everlasting covenant between God and the children of Abraham.  Those who are not circumcised are "cut off" from the people of God (Gen. 17:14). 

This seems extreme, but in the entirety of scripture there are comments even in the books of Moses that say circumcise your heart.  The sign in the flesh is nothing if there is no authentic keeping of covenant.  Love for God leads to obedience, obedience to blessings, blessings to peace and peace to life.  What really matters is that God's holiness is reflected in his people. 

Faith working through love is an authentic sign that outshines circumcision.  Everyone can see if you love others.  The one who is lead by the Spirit will bear the fruit of love... joy, peace,  patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.

Paul sifts through the silt of old tradition and finds new meaning in Christ.  David revels a new kind of king with honor for God and His people.  Even when civil war breaks out, he remains respectful of the Lord's people.  And Jeremiah shares treasured words of hope in the midst of exile. 

Lord, as I sift through the ordinary days of my life and the pages of scripture, keep my eyes open to behold treasure in old and new and, in all things, in You. Amen