Who is God? And, how can we find God - Bible answers.

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/20/1-kings-4-commentary/

First Kings 4 Commentary

You would wish the Bible ended here. But between this point and our time, today, are millennia to look at. In the meantime, Israel is basking in the glories of blessings, for which we remain eternally grateful to the LORD. Indeed He has remembered His servant Abraham. His children now live peacefully in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hallelujah! Amen.

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/18/1-kings-2-commentary/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/17/1-kings-1-commentary/

First Kings 1 Commentary

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The Book of Kings opens with David well advanced in years. We are interested in the succession story because of God's promise in second Samuel 7. Who is this son who should build the LORD'S house?

So we have the son on the throne. We have high expectations. We expect him to build the house of the LORD. We also expect his kingdom to last for ever and ever. And should he remain faithful, the favor of the LORD shall remain on him. We shall wait patiently to see what becomes of this son.

We have taken note of key differences between David and Solomon and their coronations. David’s rise was marked with a notable presence of the LORD. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and worked wonders under the anointing of the LORD. His predecessor Saul had similar experiences under the direct influence of the Spirit of the LORD. Solomon’s anointing goes rather quietly. But we are not worried as the LORD had promised to be with the son as He was with the father.

The saint today may read the scriptures and come to the LORD expecting the ‘Peter experiences’. Get the encouragement from this rather quiet power transition. The LORD had promised to be with you to the very end of the age. You are anointed and flow in the same anointing as the apostle Paul. Your own battles are against unrighteousness before the LORD. Under this anointing, the battle can be won.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/15/2-samuel-23-commentary/

Second Samuel 23 Commentary

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After the events of chapter 11, it is difficult to think of David in the lines that begin chapter 23. We can see that the author has completely ignored the many difficult moments experienced by the sinful David. Definitely, the killing of Uriah isn’t an example of ruling over the people in righteousness and in the fear of God. Well, that is exactly the point.

David’s many shortcomings have been ignored. Yes. Ignored. Ignored by the LORD who has exalted him. Reason? Repentance. David had the humility to turn to the LORD each time he sinned. Here is an example of what the LORD means when he talks of wiping someone’s record clean. Genuine repentance does that. Therefore, above everything else, this chapter is highlighting the generosity of the LORD.

These pages and our own view of David over the previous several chapters may not exactly have the balance that the Book of Psalms gives us. David knew the importance of genuine repentance. For similar offenses against the LORD, many people will end up in hell. Sad. It shouldn’t end this way, especially when the option to return to the LORD remains wide open.

We can see something else here. The list of David’s mighty warriors is yet another celebration of God’s faithfulness. Be strong, be courageous; The LORD had told Joshua. And true to the word of the LORD, the courage of these mighty men achieved for Israel victories at critical moments in the history of the nation.

The example of Shammah exemplifies the happenings here. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. Verses 11 and 12.

The saint can learn something from here. The Philistines weren’t aimless in their aggression. The purpose was to drive Israel out of the blessing of the harvest. In this way, Israel would starve, not because the LORD didn’t provide the harvest but because the enemy showed up. Take note of the timing. The enemy doesn’t show up until the LORD has blessed you. In Christian warfare, the LORD has simple instructions to the saint: Be courageous; be strong; defend the harvest. Then the LORD will bring about a great victory.

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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://lovingscripture.com/2021/12/14/2-samuel-22-commentary/

Second Samuel 22 Commentary

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The song of praise here seems to have been written during the good old days of King David. For in the song he says, “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.” David’s later years were different and he would write: “Surely I was sinful at birth.”

Many psalms were written during David’s golden years. Take note that these were years of persecution and general difficulties. There is something negative about affluence: it is strangely never good soil for great spirituality. While running away from Saul, David thinks of God as his refuge. The saint on the throne may think of God as his ATM or simply a good friend to have.

The key theme centers on the thought that the LORD has delivered David from more powerful and stronger enemies. Praise still remains an acknowledgment of the works of the LORD. Importantly, it is a celebration of God’s faithfulness. He had promised to grant Israel victory against stronger nations.

David looks back and compares the LORD’s presence with him to the time when the LORD descended on Mount Sinai. Of course, David is talking too much in comparing his scrapped escapes from Saul to the glorious experiences at Mount Sinai. But he is right. Does the saint see the glorious savior in her daily battles?

This psalm carries with it many themes that are expanded in the larger volume of David’s literature, the Psalms.

This psalm presents a Universal God. He shields all who take refuge in Him. Verse 31. No one should feel like God is for believers only. There is no fixed boundary defining who the child of God is. God’s family is ever increasing. He shields anyone who takes refuge in Him. Each man does well to remember that he has a room in God’s house which is vacant because of his absence.

We are reminded of the times when Joshua matched into Canaan with victory after victory in a single campaign. Here foreign nations cower before David. People he didn’t know give him respect. Nothing short of our expectations! An Israelite man can walk around proud and free.

No one reads the great psalms of David without being interrupted by chapter 11, the Bathsheba chapter. In essence, the chapter interrupts a period of peace, prosperity, and increase. It is a minus on the blessing of the LORD. In essence, it subtracts from our hopes and aspirations. At the same time, it tells us that man’s problem isn’t exactly oppression from external enemies like the Philistines. It’s not even a lack of a consistent income or physical wellbeing for the saint today. Man’s problem is sin.

Look at the raise song again. It is celebrating David’s victory over the enemies. See how one enemy lurks successfully conquers David in chapter 11. The good news of the LORD Jesus is that we can experience victory over this special enemy.

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