Author: Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 9:1-27

1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” was formerly called a seer.) 10 And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. 13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?” 19 Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?” 21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’” 24 So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”

So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. 26 Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Just as with Samuel at the beginning of the book, Saul is introduced through his father, Kish. The introduction informs us that Saul came from a wealthy and influential family of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was also tall and handsome. He stood head and shoulders above everyone else. It is interesting that no other Israelite is noted in the Bible as being tall, only their enemies are. Perhaps God was answering Israel’s request for a king like the other nations down to the physical details.

Many of the great leaders of Israel were also skillful shepherds (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses—and David). Saul is introduced as someone who couldn’t find a few donkeys—not a great shepherd. He searched a large area and could not find them. Eventually, after three days Saul decides to call off the search reasoning that his father would begin worrying about him more than the lost donkeys. Saul’s servant spoke of a man of God who was held in high honour who lived in the city they were in and suggested they go see him for help. Though Samuel was known to all Israel (1 Sam 3:20), Saul did not know about him. Saul had also not considered seeking divine help with his problem. Finally, Saul thought that it was necessary to buy spiritual help. Saul showed a complete lack of spiritual maturity.

They arrived in Ramah in the early evening and met some young women drawing water. They asked the women where they could find Samuel and they were directed to a high place where he was going to bless the evening sacrifice. At this point, we find out that the day before God had told Samuel that he would send a man from the tribe of Benjamin that Samuel would anoint to be the leader of His people and he would save Israel from the hand of the Philistines. Saul was not chosen because he met God’s ultimate requirements for a king but because God was letting His people have their own way. God made it clear that while He was relenting to the will of the people He was not relinquishing them as His own special possession. Four times God refers to Israel as His people. To further illustrate Saul’s ignorance of who Samuel was, he met Samuel at the city gate and asked him to direct them to the seer’s house. Samuel introduced himself as the seer and invited him to the sacrificial meal and told him he no longer needed to worry about the donkeys because they had returned to his father’s house (without his help). Samuel suggests that Saul is to be Israel’s new king. Saul wonders why Israel would want him, a Benjamite, as their king. He rightly recognised that Benjamin was a notorious tribe who had sinned greatly (Judg 20:35, 48). Not only that, but Saul’s hometown, Gibeah, had committed one of the most heinous crimes in Israel’s history (Judg 19:22–26).

Samuel didn’t answer Saul but took him to the hall where he was seated as the guest of honour before about thirty people who had been invited to the meal. He was even given the choicest piece of meat. God had told Samuel that he was sending him a guest and Samuel had prepared for his visitor’s arrival including a place to sleep. Then next day Samuel spoke with Saul alone to reveal to him God’s word.

Those who rise to prominent leadership positions are not always the godliest people. God also uses the ungodly and the spiritually weak for His purposes. Sometimes that purpose is to punish those who insist on having what God has declared is not best. What are you doing to make sure that if God chooses to use you, you will be a godly leader?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

The Triumphal Entry: Matthew 21-22

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 8:1-22

1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

As Samuel advanced in age, he made his sons, Joel and Abijah, judges over Israel. This was an attempt to return Israel to a system of hierocracy (led by priests) led by the Levites (Deu 17:8-13). But Samuel’s sons didn’t judge as he did. They were driven by selfish gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. It’s interesting that while Samuel didn’t turn out like Eli’s sons, Phinehas and Hophni, his sons did. Both Eli and Samuel failed to raise godly sons.

The elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel. They were not happy to be led by his corrupt sons. They had their own idea. They wanted a king over them just like all the other nations. Samuel was upset over their request. Israel was not supposed to be like the nations (Lev 20:26; Num 23:9) and God, who had redeemed His people from Egypt, was their King. Before Samuel responded to the elders, he prayed.

God responded that the people weren’t rejecting Samuel, but they were rejecting Him. God highlighted how Israel had continually rejected Him in their actions from the day He brought them out of Egypt until that day. God would allow them to have a king but they would live to regret their impulsive decision. Israel’s request for a king was not wrong in itself. God had originally promised Abraham and Jacob that Israel would have kings (Gen 17:6,16; 35:11). God had also given instructions for how a king should rule in Deu 17:14-20. While God had intended for Israel to have a king like the other nations, Israel’s sin was their desire and motivation to be like other nations and to have a king fight their battles for them. Their other sin was impatience. God had always intended to send a true king, Jesus Christ, but the people wanted an earthly king and they wanted one now. Instead of putting their trust in God, they put their trust in a fallible, human leader.

So Samuel took God’s answer to the people. They would have a king to rule over them but he would be a demanding dictator who would enrich himself at the people’s expense. He would take their sons to grow his army and run his administration. He would take their daughters to serve in his palace. He would take their land for his own use. He would tax them to fund all his exploits. The establishment of a monarchy would result in all Israel feeling like slaves. When that happened Israel would cry out for relief from their king, which they had chosen for themselves, but God would not answer them when that happened.

Despite the warning and the forthcoming consequences, Israel insisted on having a king appointed over them. They reiterated their desire to be like the other nations and have their king fight their battles for them instead of God who had fought for them (Deu 1:30). Samuel repeated their demands to God who told him to obey their request and appoint a king over them. Samuel then dismissed the people back to their homes. The establishment of a monarchy over Israel had been set in motion.

How often do you push to have something sooner than God is ready to give it to you? The danger in impatience is that when we demand something, what we get is devoid of His blessing. But what about when we’ve been warned of the consequences of our choices and we choose them anyway? God told Israel they would cry to him for release from their wrong choice and He would not answer them. Do you want to be in that position?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

The Rich Young Ruler: Matthew 19-20

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Proverbs 21:7-14

7   The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.
8   The way of the guilty is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9   It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10   The soul of the wicked desires evil;
    his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11   When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
    when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12   The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
    he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13   Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered.
14   A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Psalm 28

Of David.

1   To you, O LORD, I call;
    my rock, be not deaf to me,
  lest, if you be silent to me,
    I become like those who go down to the pit.
2   Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
    when I cry to you for help,
  when I lift up my hands
    toward your most holy sanctuary.
3   Do not drag me off with the wicked,
    with the workers of evil,
  who speak peace with their neighbors
    while evil is in their hearts.
4   Give to them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
  give to them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.
5   Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
    or the work of his hands,
  he will tear them down and build them up no more.
6   Blessed be the LORD!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7   The LORD is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
  my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.
8   The LORD is the strength of his people;
    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9   Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
    Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

The Psalms are great for helping us relate to God and worship Him. It’s wonderful to spend time in the word and grow in your knowledge of God at a head level. Use today to do your quiet time a little differently and try to grow in your knowledge of God at a heart level. We must always strive to move from knowing of God to knowing God.

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 7:3-17

3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only.

5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the LORD.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Twenty years after the ark was moved to Kiriah Jearim, Samuel began his public ministry. During those twenty years, Israel had a change of heart and began to turn to the Lord. Samuel addressed the people of Israel and challenged them to prove their loyalty to the Lord by abandoning their idols and foreign gods. They needed to rid themselves of false gods and commit wholeheartedly to the Lord and then they could expect the blessings of a right relationship with God which included deliverance from the hand of the Philistines. Israel responded rightly by getting rid of the Baals and Ashtaroths (male and female Canaanite deities) and served the Lord only.

Samuel gathered the people at Mizpah to pray for them. The people gathered and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. This was evidently a symbolic gesture that they sought the Lord’s forgiveness and favour more than life-giving water. They fasted and confessed their sin against the Lord. When the Philistines heard about their gathering, they marched up against Israel. The people were afraid and they urged Samuel to keep interceding for them with God that He might save them from the Philistines. Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to God. God answered him with a thundering sound that threw the Philistines into confusion and defeated them. Samuel commemorated the victory by erecting a stone monument called Ebenezer which means “the stone of [God’s] help. This ended the Philistine occupation of Israel. God’s show of force also brought peace between Israel and the Amorites, another Canaanite remnant in the area.

Samuel continued to judge Isreal for the rest of his life. He moved in a circuit with a circumference of about 50 miles between the cities of Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, and his hometown of Ramah.

For twenty years the people of Israel moved towards God yet they still clung to their false gods. Samuel had to urge them to put away their false gods and focus on God wholeheartedly. What do you have in your life that is holding you back from wholeheartedly following the Lord?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

The Transfiguration: Matthew 17-18

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 6:1-7:2

1 The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” 4 And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5 So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land. 6 Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, did they not send the people away, and they departed? 7 Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8 And take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9 and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.”

10 The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors. 12 And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. 13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it. 14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there. A great stone was there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the LORD. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.

17 These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron, 18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and unwalled villages. The great stone beside which they set down the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.

19 And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the LORD. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great blow. 20 Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to you.”

7:1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the LORD. 2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

After suffering for seven months, the Philistines wanted to return the ark of the Lord. They gathered their priests and diviners to find out how they should go about returning the ark. In their religious understanding, if they did things the wrong way, the God of Israel might become angrier and they would suffer further. God had warned Israel about the practice of divination in the nations they were entering and they were forbidden from consulting them because they “were an abomination to the Lord” (Deu 18:9-19). The diviners had some knowledge of Israel’s religious practices. They knew that they needed to honour God with a guilt offering but the solution they proposed was misguided. Instead of offering a ram as a guilt offering, they offered golden images of detestable animals (rats) and unclean parts of the human body (the tumors). Lastly, they directed that the ark be transported on an ox cart which was strictly forbidden (Num 7:7-9). The process they suggested was expected to accomplish two purposes: to remove the deadly object from their presence and to determine the root cause of their ailments. To do this they took a new cart to be pulled by two cows that had never been yoked before and had been separated from their unweaned calves. If a pair of untrained cows could work together to pull the cart in the right direction while ignoring their maternal instincts to return to their calves, then they would accept that Yahweh was the source of their great disaster. They followed the directions of the diviners and the cows pulled the cart directly to Beth-shemesh without turning to the right or to the left. God made it abundantly clear that the Philistines’ troubles were no coincidence.

The people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest when they saw the ark coming into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh where it stopped. There was a great stone there so they broke up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the two cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. The town of Beth-shemesh was a Levitical town so the people should have known the correct treatment of the ark and acceptable methods of worship. Only male animals were acceptable for burnt offerings (Lev 1:3). They set the ark on a large rock along with the golden figures and continued to offer sacrifices to the Lord. The five lords of the Philistines saw this and returned to Ekron. Unfortunately, the people of Beth-shemesh didn’t handle the ark of the Lord in the correct manner. They were not allowed to look at, let alone touch the ark (Num 4:5,15,20). But it seems the people of Beth-shemesh opened the ark and looked inside. God struck down 50,070 men that day because of their irreverence. Some Bibles only mention 70 men, some say 70 of 50,000, probably because of the difficulty of reconciling such a large number of people. But most Hebrew manuscripts contain the larger number. If God struck down that many people, it was significantly more than had died at the hands of the Philistines (30,000 in 1 Sam 4:10). The people mourned because the Lord had dealt them such a great blow. They rightly recognised, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?” Then they too wanted the ark of the Lord to be removed and they sent it to Kiriath-Jearim where it was taken to the house of Abinadab and remained there for twenty years. In fact, the ark remained in the care of Abinadab for just over 100 years until David brought it up to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:1-3).

God dealt severely with both unbelievers (the Philistines) and His people when they disregarded His strict requirements. The strict religious practices of the Old Testament have fallen away but that doesn’t mean that we can be flippant in how we deal with God almighty. It is so important that we recognise God as “the Lord, this holy God” and revere Him as the One who is unlike us. He is above all!

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Peter Confesses Christ as Messiah: Matthew 15-16

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 5:1-12

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 But after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” 11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

(ESV)

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  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

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The Philistines thought their god, Dagon had brought them victory and they took the ark of God and placed it in the template of Dagon as a trophy of conquest. Their belief was that because Dagon had helped them with victory, it was fitting that Yahweh should serve as an attendant to their god, just as Israel would serve the Philistines. Not only is God omnipresent (everywhere present), but He is omnipotent (all-powerful). The next morning the people of Ashdod rose to find Dagon fallen prostrate before the ark of the Lord (his face was on the ground). They picked up their idol and put it back in its place. Their god they thought so powerful on the battlefield was unable to lift himself out of the dust. The next morning the same thing had happened again, this time with the head and hands lying severed in a manner that represented military executions. The Philistine deity had been thwarted in his own house.

God not only dealt with their deity, but His hand was heavy against the people of Ashdod. They were terrified and developed tumors that seem to have been carried by mice (1 Sam 6:4-5). The Philistines were aware of the plagues that God had brought against Egypt and now they had begun to suffer a similar, though less severe fate. The rulers of the Philistines gathered to discuss what to do. They decided to send the ark of the Lord to Gath. It’s not clear why they chose Gath but they must have believed the conditions there were more favourable towards the Israelites and were somehow immune from the Lord’s attack. But things didn’t fare any better in Gath. The hand of the Lord again was against the city and He afflicted young and old with the same tumors. so they sent the ark on to Ekron. As soon as it arrived in Ekron, the people cried out believing it was coming to kill them. They gathered the rulers of the Philistines and pleaded for them to send the ark of the Lord back to Israel. The entire city was panicked and those who did not die were struck with tumors and the entire city cried in anguish to heaven.

The Philistines thought that the God of Israel was in the box they could move around. This may seem naive to us but we are often guilty of boxing God and thinking we can manipulate Him according to our own will. Do you see God as the omnipresent, omnipotent God that He is? Or are you guilty of placing Him in a box of your own design?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Feeding the Five Thousand: Matthew 13-14

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 4:1b-22

1 …. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

(ESV)

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  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

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While Samuel was still young, Israel went to battle with the Philistines at Aphek, about 25 miles west of Shiloh. When Israel began to lose, they sent men to Shiloh to fetch the ark of the covenant of God from Shiloh and bring it to the battlefield. This was a move of superstition presuming the ark to be like a good luck charm that would help them just because it was with them. Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas came with the ark to the battlefield.

The presence of the ark gave Israel renewed courage and they gave a mighty shout. When the Philistines heard this they wondered what the shouting meant. When they learned that the ark had come into Israel’s camp, they were afraid. They too were superstitious. They knew about the “gods” who had helped Israel out of Egypt. But they summoned their courage and fought anyway. They fought and Israel was defeated and the ark of God was captured. Just as God had declared would be a sign (1 Sam 2:34), both of Eli’s sons died that day. For the first time, the ark of the covenant was taken into pagan hands. The Israelites had expected God to be an ally against the Philistines but God had other plans. He used the Philistines in judgment against Israel and their unfaithful priests.

Back at Shiloh, Eli heard the news about the defeat, his sons’ deaths, and that the ark of God had been captured. At the news of the ark of God being capture, Eli fell over backward and broke his neck. Shortly after that, his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife gave birth prematurely because of her reaction to the news. She gave birth to a son and named him Ichabod in her dying breath. The name she gave him meant “The glory has departed from Israel.” Israel’s superstition continued. To pagans, it was conceivable that a god could be taken into captivity (Isa 46:1-2) but Israel should have known that the Omnipresent God could not be taken away from them. This story shows how heathen Israel had become.

How have you or might you be tempted to see God in a superstitious way? Perhaps you’ve thought you need to manipulate God in some way—God if I (am better, pray more, go to church more, …) then you should (do the thing I desire). The more our faith is based on religious rites or practices, the more likely we are to treat God like this. The deeper our relationship with Him, the less likely we are to fall into this trap. Where are you on this continuum?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

The Sign of Jonah: Matthew 11-12

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a

1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

(ESV)

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  • What is the writer saying?
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Samuel was working in the tabernacle under the guidance and teaching of Eli. The passage in the ESV refers to the temple rather than the tabernacle because that’s what the underlying word means but Solomon’s temple had not yet been built. During that period, God had not frequently given direct revelation to anyone through word or vision. Eli was asleep in his own place while Samuel was lying in the tabernacle attending to the burning lamp near the ark of the Lord. The Lord called Samuel but he mistook it for Eli and ran to Eli but Eli had not called him and sent him to lie down again. Again the Lord called him, “Samuel!”. Samuel again went to Eli but was sent back. The passage emphasises that Samuel did not yet know the Lord. The third time Samuel went to Eli after the Lord called him, Eli realised that it must be the Lord speaking. He told Samuel to lie down again and if God spoke again, to reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” On the fourth time, God called Samuel’s name twice and “came and stood”. Samuel responded as a humble servant of the Lord. The Lord revealed to Samuel his plan to remove Eli and his sons from the priesthood and that it would be so shocking that the peoples’ ears would tingle (they would respond in fear and dismay). God declared that Eli and his sons were guilty of deliberate (high-handed) sin because of his sons’ blasphemous actions and Eli’s failure to restrain his sons and so their guilt could not be atoned by sacrifice or offering (Num 15:30-31).

The next morning Samuel opened up the tabernacle but was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. Eli insisted that he tell him everything. Samuel told Eli what the Lord had said and Eli accepted it as the Lord’s word and acknowledged God’s sovereign right to do what He deems best.

From there Samuel grew as a prophet and God was with him letting none of his words fall to the ground, meaning everything he prophesied came to pass. The sign that someone was called to be a prophet was that their predictive word came true (Deu 18:21-22). Everyone in Israel from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south recognised that he was a prophet. God had established a new way of speaking to His people. Revelation through priest and ephod had passed away and revelation through prophets had begun.

Samuel and Eli show us the proper response to God’s word. We must be willing to hear God’s word as humble servants and then willing to accept what the sovereign Lord has to say which implies obedience should follow. Are you inclined to listen to all of God’s word and do what He says? (John 14:23-24).

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Calling the Disciples: Matthew 9-10

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Proverbs 21:1-6

1   The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
    he turns it wherever he will.
2   Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
    but the LORD weighs the heart.
3   To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4   Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
    the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
5   The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
6   The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

(ESV)

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  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake