Archive for May 2024

1 Samuel 14,  Psalm 100,  Mark 11:12-26,  2 Corinthians 5 1 Samuel 14: Jonathan, Saul’s son, decides to take matters into his own hands (v. 1). He is a man of initiative and of faith, and decides that the right policy at this time, where it appears that Saul and the other leaders are being…

1 Samuel 11-13, Psalm 99,  Mark 11:1-11,  2 Corinthians 4  1 Samuel 11-13: Saul’s first steps now as king begin to go better. When he hears the threats coming from the Ammonites (11:5), the Spirit of God comes upon Saul (11:6), and he rallies Israel to his standard, marches against the Ammonites and defeats them (11:7-11). Having…

1 Samuel 9-10,  Psalm 98,  Mark 10:35-52,  2 Corinthians 3  1 Samuel 9-10: We now meet Saul (9:1-2). His father is rich, and he is handsome and taller than anyone else (9:2). What could possibly go wrong? From the beginning we get the sense that externally he was the “obvious” king type. But was his…

1 Samuel 6-8,  Psalm 97,  Mark 10:17-34,  2 Corinthians 2 1 Samuel 6-8: To show that God’s presence and power is not only capable of being violated by pagans, that God does not play “favorites,” the people of Beth-shemesh, to whom the ark had gone, were also struck down when they violated the holiness of…

1 Samuel 3-5,  Psalm 96,  Mark 10:1-16,  2 Corinthians 1:12-24 1 Samuel 3-5: God’s intervention is picking up pace. First, we have the background. The word of the LORD was rare (3:1). As by illustration, Eli, the one who should have been “seeing” God’s word, has eyes that are physically failing (3:2). There is a…

1 Samuel 1-2,  Psalm 95,  Mark 9:33-50,  2 Corinthians 1:1-11 1 Samuel 1-2: God is on the move. It starts in a surprising place, in weakness. A man had two wives (1:2). Immediately we know something is not right, either with him or his family or the center of worship to which he nonetheless attended.…