II Samuel 19

David’s mourning for Absalom verse 1- 4

And it was told Joab – BEHOLD – the king weeps and mourns for Absalom

and the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people

for the people heard say that day how the

king was grieved for his son

And the people got them by stealth that day into the city

as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle

BUT the king covered his face – and the king cried with a loud voice

O my son Absalom – O Absalom – my son – my son

Joab confronts David on his actions verse 5- 7

And Joab came into the house to the king

and said

You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants

which this day have saved your life

and the lives of your sons and of your daughters

and the lives of your wives

and the lives of your concubines

In that you love your enemies – and hate your friends

for you have declared this day – that you regard neither princes

nor servants – for this day I perceive

that if Absalom had lived

and all we had died this day

then it had pleased you well

Now therefore arise – go forth

and speak comfortably unto your servants

for I swear by the LORD – IF you go not forth

there will not tarry one with you this night

and that will be worse to you than all the

evil that befell you from your youth until now

David goes and sits at the gate of the city verse 8

Then the king arose – and sat in the gate

and they told unto all the people

saying

BEHOLD – the king does sit in the gate

and all the people came before the king

for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

Children of Israel talk about kingship of David verse 9- 10

And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel

saying

The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies

and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines

Now he is fled

out of the land for Absalom

And Absalom – whom we anointed over us

is dead in battle

Now therefore why speak you not a word of bringing

the king back?

David sends messengers to tribe of Judah verse 11- 13

And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests

saying

Speak unto the elders of Judah

saying

Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house?

seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king

even to his house

You are my brethren – you are my bones and my flesh

wherefore then are you the last to bring back the king?

Say you to Amasa

Are you not of my bone – and of my flesh?

God do so to me – and more also

if you be not captain of the host

before me continually in the

room of Joab

Amasa supports David’s return verse 14

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah

even as the heart of one man

so that they sent this word to the king

Return you – and all your servants

Large group welcomes David verse 15- 20

So the king returned – and came to Jordan

and Judah came to Gilgal

to go to meet the king

to conduct the king over Jordan

And Shimei the son of Gera – a Benjamite

which was of Bahurim hasted and came down

with the men of Judah to meet king David

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him

and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul

and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants

with him – and they went over

Jordan before the king

And there went over a ferryboat

to carry over the king’s household

and to do what he thought good

And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king

as he was come over Jordan

and said to the king

Let not my lord impute iniquity to me

neither do you remember that which your servant did

perversely the day that my lord the king

went out of Jerusalem

that the king should take it to his heart

For your servant does know that I have sinned

THEREFORE – BEHOLD

I am come the first this day of all the house of

Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king

Abishai wants to kill Shimei verse 21

BUT Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered

and said

Shall not Shimei be put to death for this

BECAUSE he cursed the LORD’S anointed?

David reproves Abishai verse 22- 23

And David

said

What have I to do with you – you sons of Zeruiah

that you should this day be adversaries to me?

Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel?

for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

Therefore the king

said to Shimei

You shall not die

And the king sware unto him

Mephibosheth meets David verse 24- 28

And Mephibosheth the son if Saul came down to meet the king

and had neither dressed his feet

nor trimmed his beard

nor washed his clothes – from the day the king

departed until the day he came again in peace

And it came to pass

when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king

that the king said to him

Wherefore went not you with me – Mephibosheth?

And he answered

My lord – O king – my servant deceived me

for your servant said

I will saddle me an ass – that I may ride thereon

and go to the king – BECAUSE they servant is lame

And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king

BUT my lord the king is as an angel of God

do therefore what is good in your eyes

For all of my father’s house were but dead men

before my lord the king

yet did you set your servant among them

that did eat at your own table

What right therefore have I yet to cry any more to the king?

Mephibosheth and Ziba divide lands verse 29- 30

And the king

said to him

Why speak you any more of your matters?

I have said

You and Ziba divide the land

And Mephibosheth

said to the king

Yea – let him take all – forasmuch as my lord the king is

come again in peace to his own house

David invites Barzillai to live in Jerusalem verse 31- 39

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim

and went over Jordan with the king

to conduct him over Jordan

Now Barzillai was a very aged man

even fourscore [80] years old

and he had provided the king of sustenance

while he lay at Mahanaim

for he was a very great man

And the king

said to Barzillai

Come you over with me

and I will feed you with me in Jerusalem

And Barzillai

said to the king

How long have I to live

that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

I am this day fourscore years old

and can I discern between good and evil?

Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink?

Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women?

wherefore then should they servant be yet a

burden unto my lord the king?

Your servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king

and why should the king recompense

it me with such a reward?

Let your servant – I pray you – turn back again

that I may die in mine own city

and be buried by the grave

of my father and of my mother

BUT BEHOLD your servant Chimham

let him go over with my lord the king

and do to him what shall seem good to you

And the king

answered

Chimham shall go over with me

and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you

and whatsoever you shall require of me

that will I do for you

and all the people went over Jordan

And when the king was come over – the king kissed Barzillai

and blessed him and he returned to his own place

David crosses the Jordan with troops verse 40

Then the king went on to Gilgal

and Chimham went on with him

and all the people of Judah conducted the king

and also half the people of Israel

Division between Judah and ten tribes verse 41- 43

And behold all the men of Israel came to the king

and said to the king

Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen you away

and have brought the king – and his household

and all David’s men with him over Jordan?

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel

BECAUSE the king is near of kin to us

wherefore then be you angry for this matter?

Have we eaten at all of the king’s cost?

or has he given us any gift?

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah

and said

We have ten parts in the king

and we have also more right in David than you

Why then did you despise us

that our advice should not be first had

in bringing back our king?

And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than

the words of the men of Israel

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

(8668 “victory” [teshu ‘ah] means deliverance, help, safety, or salvation.)

DEVOTION: Even in great deliverance there can be problems. David’s army had defeated the army of Israel under the leadership of Absalom. The small force had defeated the larger force. The soldiers wanted to celebrate but because of David’s reaction they could not. They felt as if they had lost the battle. They were discouraged.

Joab confronted David concerning his attitude toward the battle. He told him that it seemed that he would have liked it if they had been defeated. He told him to get his act together and greet his returning soldiers as heroes instead of defeated men. Joab told David that he loved his enemy more that he loved his friends. David had turned a day of celebration into a funeral march.

Joab told him that if he didn’t get out and greet the people the later end would be worst than the rebellion. David responds well by greeting the people at the city gate. The people responded back with warmth.

This was not the end of the problems from this deliverance. While David was coming back to Jerusalem, the elders of the tribe of Judah were contenting with the elders of the other ten tribes. Both groups thought they should be the ones who brought David back.

How do we respond to deliverance? Are we thankful for the people who stood by our side? Did we thank them for helping us through a difficult time? Did we need someone to confront us and tells us we were not treating our friends right?

How do we respond when we are confronted by someone concerning something we have done wrong? Are we willing to listen or do we think that we are always right?

We need to admit our faults and change our ways with the LORD’S help. Remember we are to be a thankful people. Too often we don’t appear very thankful for all our circumstances.

CHALLENGE: Do we thank the LORD for HIS deliverance?

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 5 And Joab came into the house of the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, which this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines. (954 “shamed” [buwsh] means to be ashamed, to put to shame, act shamefully, to be caused to be ashamed, to fail in hope and expectation, humiliate, or cause disgrace.)

DEVOTION: Here is a general confronting his king. It is not an easy task but one that had to be done as David was acting as if he wanted to lose the war and allow his son to take over the kingdom instead of him

David was the chosen king of Israel by the LORD and by the people. But the fact that people are fickle is shown all the way through the Word of God. People seem to go with whoever is the loudest voice or who offers rewards to follow him.

This is what had happened and continues to happen today. We have to watch who we are willing to follow. Too often those who promise much don’t fulfill their promises. It was just a lie that people like to hear.

Now David had to recover his emotions over the loss of his son and start acting again like a king. It is good to be confronted at times. It is not something that we would like but sometimes it is necessary.

Today we need to see that we keep ourselves in tune with the LORD and sometimes we can get out of tune and not know it. It is good that someone comes alongside with a word of encouragement or confrontation to get us back on the right path we need to follow.

All of us need friends to come alongside. Joab was not that type of friend at times but he was right to do it now. We need to know when it is time to confront our friends to get them to act the way the LORD wants them to act.

CHALLENGE: Do you have a friend that needs this kind of action to keep him close to the LORD?

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: 13 And say you to Amasa, Are you not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. (8478 “in the room of” [tachath] means instead, in place of, for the sake of, underneath, below, succeeding, in exchange of, in lieu of or from under the hand of.)

DEVOTION: Joab had killed his son and had been one to confront David about leadership. David thought that if he made Amasa, who had been the general for Absalom that there could be peace between the families of Israel.

It was a good idea and the people liked it but Joab didn’t and we will learn what he did about it in the future. Remember that both Joab and Amasa were part of David’s family.

David was looking for peace in the nation of Israel and wanted to get the rebellion behind him as soon as possible. His solution was good once he realized that he had to get to work on a plan.

Sometimes we don’t work our plan because we don’t have one or because we don’t take the time to use the plan we have to get victory over a problem in our life.

We need to realize that each day has new challenges and we have to ask the LORD for wisdom regarding these challenges. David had to get his family back together and his kingdom back under control. This can only happen if he consults the LORD and waits on HIM for a good plan.

What is happening in your life right now that needs to be organized in a good manner for you to live a life that is pleasing to the LORD? HE allows things in our life for our growth in Christ. HE wants to know how we are going to handle what HE allows in our life.

We want to know who is going to help us through this testing which will end in victory over whatever is going on. We can’t do it alone, we need others to come alongside and help us.

First we need to call on the LORD and then seek wisdom regarding who else to call to help with our current challenge. Once we put this plan into actions the LORD can lead us to the next steps to victory. HE wants us to have a life of victory even though we sin on a daily basis. HE is a loving and forgiving God.

CHALLENGE: David had a plan and was working his plan to return to a place of leadership over Israel. Are we working our plan with the help of the LORD?

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 19 And said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. (5753 “perversely” [‘avah] means to commit iniquity, do wrong, pervert, to do what is wrong according to divine law or moral principles, crooked, or to make crooked.)

DEVOTION: Here is a man who cursed David while he was running from Absalom. He called him names. He threw dust and stones at him and his men while he continued to call him names and curse him before God.

One of the men in David’s army wanted to kill him but David would not allow this to happen. He told the man that maybe God wanted him to curse him for his past actions. He knew was a sinner and needed the forgiveness of God and he was willing to let the LORD deal with the man.

Well the LORD did deal with the man after David won the victory over his son’s army. So the man greeted David on the way back to Jerusalem asking for forgiveness for his past actions. He admitted that he had sinned against David.

David stated that he would not die. He was willing to work with him.

We have people in our life that have said and done things against us that we thought should never be forgiven and yet the LORD forgives us of all our sins through Jesus Christ. We should do the same for our fellow human beings that have sinned against us. It should be our practice to forgive as often as we can those who have hurt us.

If someone who has hurt you came to you today and asked for forgiveness would you give it to him? Should you give it to him? The Bible gives us lessons regarding what believers should do toward fellow believers and toward those who are not followers of the LORD. We should have an attitude of forgiveness because we have been forgiven so much in our life.

Those who think, that they have not sinned as much as others, have the sin of pride in their life that needs to be dealt with before the LORD. God looks at little sins and big sins the same – they need to be confessed to HIM or HE will chasten believers and judge those outside of Christ. There different consequences regarding little sins and big sins but in the end HE is going to judge on the basis of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

CHALLENGE: Should David forgive this man completely after his confession? Should there be some restrictions? The LORD gives wisdom regarding the answers of these questions.

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: 29 And the king said to him, Why, speak your any more of your matters? I have said, You and Ziba divide the land. (2505 “divide” [chalaq] means apportion, distribute, share with, partner with, to separate something into parts or portions for people or groups of people, or get one’s share.)

DEVOTION: Are there times in our lives when we don’t know who to believe? Two different people tell two different stories about what happened on a certain occasion. You believed the first person and then the second person comes along with a different story of what happened and now you have to make a decision.

This is what happened to David regarding Mephibosheth. Remember this was Jonathan’s son who was David’s best friend. He had brought him to Jerusalem to eat at his table with his sons and given the land back to him that belonged to Saul his grandfather.

Then Ziba came to him during the rebellion of Absalom and told him that Mephibosheth stayed behind because he thought that the people would give the kingdom back to Saul’s family instead of Absalom or David. So David gave Ziba and his sons all the land that belonged to Mephibosheth.

Now Mephibosheth gives a different accounting of what happened and David wants to give him the benefit of doubt and returns half the land to Mephibosheth and continues to give Ziba the other half.

Life can be confusing when there are two stories told and yet here we have a different solution to the problem. We need to continue to ask the LORD for wisdom and discernment when we have two stories and one of them is true and the other is false. Both are believable.

David decides what to do and is going to stick with his decision regarding this issue. Sometimes decisions are real hard and we can make wrong decisions which have consequences.

CHALLENGE: David made a decision and gave his answer to the problem. We need to do the same on different occasions in our life.

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Zadok and Abiathar – priests verse 11

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 7, 21

God – Elohim (Creator) verse 13, 27

LORD’S anointed verse 21

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

angel of God verse 27

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Enemies verse 6, 9

Philistines verse 9

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Shamed verse 5

Hate verse 6

Evil verse 7, 35

Iniquity verse 19

Perverse verse 19

Sinned verse 20

Cursed verse 21

Deceived verse 26

Angry verse 42

Despise verse 43

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Victory verse 2

Saved verse 5

Love verse 6

Friends verse 6

Swear by the LORD verse 7

Anointed verse 21

Forgiveness verse 23

Discern between good and evil verse 35

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Joab verse 1, 5

King David verse 1- 43

David loved Absalom his enemy

Victory turned to mourning

Returned to Judah

LORD’S anointed

As angel of God

Took Chimham with him

Absalom verse 1 – 4, 6, 9, 10

Israel had fled to their tents verse 8

Elders of Judah verse 11- 14, 40- 43

Bring king David back

Shimei – son of Gera -Benamite verse 16- 23

1,000 men of Benamites with him

Fell down before David

Had cursed David

Ziba – servant of Saul verse 17, 29

Divide the land between him and

Mephibosheth

Jerusalem verse 19, 25, 33-

Abishai – son of Zeruiah verse 21

Mephibosheth – son of Saul verse 24

Came to Jerusalem to meet David

Told him to do what is good in his eyes

Barzillai the Gileadite verse 31- 39

Very aged man: 80

Provided David with sustenance

Very great man

David wanted him to join him in

Jerusalem

Wanted to return to his own city

Aske David to take his servant Chimham

David kissed him goodbye

David blessed him

Chimham verse 37- 40

Men of Israel verse 41- 43

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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QUOTES regarding passage

David’s escort had consisted of “all the troops of Judah” and “half the troops of Israel” (v.40). Since Israel had a much larger army to begin with (see 17:11 and comment), that only half its troops had participated in the crossing might be understood merely in terms of logistics. On the other hand, perhaps the narrator is subtly granting Judah pride of place (in any case, Judah, David’s tribe, is mentioned first). The acrimony between the two groups increases when the men of Israel complain to the king that the men of Judah—ostensibly their “brothers” (v.41; see comment above)—might as well have “kidnapped” David and his men (as the verb here rendered “steal … away” is translated in Exod 21:16; Deut 24:7) to keep as many as possible of the men of Israel from sharing the privilege of accompanying the king westward to Gilgal.

The men of Judah have a ready answer, of course: As a member of their tribe, David is more “closely related” to Judah than he is to Israel (v.42). Thus there is no need for the men of Israel to be angry over what seems to the men of Judah to be perfectly natural. Nor have the latter taken advantage of their relationship to the king. Indeed, they strongly deny that they have either “eaten any” of his provisions or “taken anything” from his supplies (the force of both finite verbs in the MT is strengthened by a preceding infinitive absolute form).

But the men of Israel reject all such explanations. Judah is only one tribe, while Israel has ten “shares” (v.43, lit., “hands”; cf. Gen 47:24 [“fifths”]; 2 Kings 11:7 [“companies”]) in the king—that is ten tribes in the overall kingdom (for Ugar. yd, “hand,” meaning “share” [pl. ydt as in the Heb. of v.43 (v.44 MT)], cf. ydty, “my portions” [Baal V.i.21]; for Akkad. qātu, “hand,” in the sense of “share [of an inheritance/estate],” cf. The Assyrian Dictionary [Chicago: Oriental Institute, 1982], 13:196–97). The fact that the only other occurrence of ʿeśer yāḏôṯ (“ten shares”) is in Daniel 1:20 (“ten times”), where the figure ten is doubtless metaphorical, leads Conroy to the conclusion that “ʿśr ydwt is more likely to be a round figure expressing superiority … than a reference to the ten northern tribes” (p. 123 n. 32). Far more plausible, however, is comparison with “the tearing of Ahijah’s mantle into twelve pieces giving Jeroboam ten (1 Kings 11:30–31, 35). In these last two texts [v.43; 1 Kings 11:30–31, 35] there is clearly a stylized reference to the restricted Israel, to the ‘Ten Tribes’ of the divided kingdom” (Kallai, “Judah and Israel,” p. 256). Such elements in the narrative “point forward to, and possibly reflect awareness of, the later division of the kingdom” (Gordon, I & II, p. 293) and have obvious implications for the date of the writing of the books of Samuel (indeed, KD states categorically that “they were not written till after the division of the kingdom under Solomon’s successor” [p. 11]).

Since the men of Israel “have ten shares in the king,” they conclude that it logically follows (“besides,” v.43) that they “have a greater claim on David” than Judah has. David’s sizable land grant to Mephibosheth (cf. 9:7–13) and—even more impressive—the extensive tribal territories to which Ish-Bosheth fell heir (see 2:9–10 and comments) give substance to the assertion of Israel’s men. They therefore want to know why the men of Judah “treat” them “with contempt” (v.43, lit., “humble” them; cf. Isa 9:1; 23:9), and they conclude their part of the debate by reminding the Judahites that they—the men of Israel—were the “first” to speak of returning David to his rightful place in Jerusalem (see v.20 and comment).

The words of the men of Israel, however, cause the men of Judah to respond more “harshly” still. By using the root qšh the narrator not only echoes the earlier fears of David as he anticipated King Saul’s wrath (cf. 1 Sam 20:10) but also foreshadows the foolish attitude of Rehoboam as he—king of Judah and potentially king of all Israel—irrevocably alienates the northern tribes (cf. 1 Kings 12:13 = 2 Chronicles 10:13). (Youngblood, R. F. (1992). 1, 2 Samuel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, pp. 1039–1040). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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19:39–43. At length David and his entourage crossed the Jordan and arrived at Gilgal where they were met by a throng of citizens from both Judah and Israel. The latter were upset that the Judeans claimed David as one of their own to the exclusion of the other tribes (v. 41). When the Judeans replied that David was part of their own flesh (v. 42), the Israelite counter-response was that there were 10 tribes of them and therefore their claim was much more weighty. Besides, they said, they had been the first to insist that David return to rule over the nation (v. 43), a claim for which, incidentally, there is an apparent basis in the preserved narrative (vv. 9–10). The argument reveals the fickleness of the people who had first acquiesced in, if not actively supported, the rebellion of Absalom and now clamored to be first to welcome David back. But it also indicates the depth of the schism which was developing between Israel and Judah, a rift which eventually produced two separate kingdoms. (Merrill, E. H. (1985). 2 Samuel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 474–475). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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19:43 ten parts. The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah that they had a greater right to David, since there were 10 northern tribes in contrast to the one tribe of Judah. Contrast the “ten parts” here with the “no portion” in 20:1. treat us with contempt. The Israel-Judah hostility evidenced here led to the rebellion of Sheba (20:1–22) and eventually to the division of the United Kingdom (1Ki 12:1–24). (^[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Sa 19:43). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

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Ver. 43. And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, &c.] They replied to them, as follows: we have ten parts in the king; being ten tribes, reckoning Simeon in the tribe of Judah, within which it lay, Josh. 19:1. and we have also more right in David than ye; being more numerous than they; or, according to the Targum, they had more affection and good will towards David than the men of Judah, though he was of their tribe, and dwelt among them; since the rebellion was begun, and was cherished and carried on among them: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? they were as ready and as desirous as they to fetch the king back; and since they were far the largest body of men, and the far greater part of the nation, they thought they ought to have been consulted in an affair of so much importance, and that doing it without them was slighting them, and casting contempt upon them, and insinuating as if they were enemies to the king; or, as the Targum expresses it, “was not my word first to bring back my king?” the first motion was from them, as appears from ver. 11. and therefore the thing should not have been done without them; they should have been apprized of it, that they might at least have joined them, and shared in the honour with them of bringing the king back: and the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel; not those that are here recorded, but what followed, and are not written, being so very warm and indecent; and David being silent in this hot dispute between them, which was interpreted taking the part of Judah, the men of Israel were incensed at it; and hence arose a new rebellion, of which more in the next chapter how it began, and was crushed. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 649). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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NO SIN

In him is no sin.
1 John 3:5
There can be no true view of salvation and of the redemption that is possible for us in the Lord Jesus Christ unless we are right about the person. That is why John used such strong and striking language in 1 John 2 when he talked about those people who were leading them astray by denying the person of our Lord. “Those antichrists, ”he said in essence,” are liars, and they must be called such because they are robbing us of the whole of our salvation.” If we are wrong about the person, we shall be wrong everywhere.
So as we look at this person we are reminded again in this verse that here is one who has been in this world of ours with all its sin and its shame, but who was without sin. He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He remains unique and separate. He alone is the Son of God. He is not just a great moral teacher, nor just a great religious genius. He is not one who has gone a little bit further than all others in this quest for God and for truth. No; He is the Son of God incarnate, in him is no sin.
But not only was there no sin in Him and in His birth He committed no act of sin. He always honored God’s holy law; He obeyed it fully and carried it out perfectly. God gave His law to man. He intended that the law should be carried out, that it should be honored and obeyed. Let me go further and say this: No one can ever be with God and spend eternity with Him unless they have honored the law. God’s law must be kept, and without fulfilling it there is no fellowship with Him and no hope of spending eternity with Him. What God has demanded from man, man has failed to do; but here is One who does it.
A Thought to Ponder: If we are wrong about the person, we shall be wrong everywhere. (From Children of God, pp. 53-54. By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Mark 10

Jesus prepares His disciples for His death.

INSIGHT

If there is anything between you and the Lord, He will pinpoint it and ask you to give it up. He wants total commitment — nothing less.

That does not mean you cannot be committed to other things. It just means that He wants nothing to be higher on your priority list than He is.

A husband must be committed to his wife and children. A professional must be committed to his job. But all must be committed to the Lord first.

The rich young ruler learned this in a very painful lesson. We can learn from his experience: Put the Lord first. (Quiet Walk)

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Reporting on the Parables
“And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.” (Mark 12:1)
This parable of the vineyard had an obvious meaning, for even “the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders” to whom He was speaking (Mark 11:27) “knew that he had spoken the parable against them” (Mark 12:12). The same parable and the events surrounding it are reported in Matthew 21:33-46 and Luke 20:9-16.
But there is another question that has been raised about this parable, as well as all the other parables that have been reported in two or more different gospels. That is, if the Bible is inerrant in its very words as Jesus taught (e.g., Matthew 5:18; John 10:35), then why did the writers often vary in their reporting of the words of the parable?
It should be remembered, however, that Jesus probably spoke in Aramaic, whereas the written accounts were in Greek. Furthermore, two of the writers (Mark and Luke) were not present at the time so would have to obtain their accounts from someone who was there (e.g., Luke 1:1-2). Flexibility in translation and reporting is always possible with different translators and different reporters.The doctrine of divine inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16), however, applies not to the process but to the result. The Spirit of God was free to use the writer’s own research, vocabulary, and style in reporting an event so long as there were no factual errors or irrelevancies in the final result. In fact, such minor differences often give greater depth and credence to the reported event since they help in proving that the different writers were not in collusion but simply telling of a real event from different perspectives. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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Slum Songs

They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Cateura is a small slum in Paraguay, South America. Desperately poor, its villagers survive by recycling items from its rubbish dump. But from these unpromising conditions something beautiful has emerged—an orchestra.

With a violin costing more than a house in Cateura, the orchestra had to get creative, crafting its own instruments from their garbage supply. Violins are made from oil cans with bent forks as tailpieces. Saxophones have come from drainpipes with bottle tops for keys. Cellos are made from tin drums with gnocchi rollers for tuning pegs. Hearing Mozart played on these contraptions is a beautiful thing. The orchestra has gone on tour in many countries, lifting the sights of its young members.

Violins from landfills. Music from slums. That’s symbolic of what God does. For when the prophet Isaiah envisions God’s new creation, a similar picture of beauty-from-poverty emerges, with barren lands bursting into blooming flowers (Isaiah 35:1–2), deserts flowing with streams (vv. 6–7), castaway war tools crafted into garden instruments (2:4), and impoverished people becoming whole to the sounds of joyful songs (35:5–6, 10).

“The world sends us garbage,” Cateura’s orchestra director says. “We send back music.” And as they do, they give the world a glimpse of the future, when God will wipe away the tears of every eye and poverty will be no more.

By Sheridan Voysey (Our Daily Bread) Isaiah 35: 10

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