365 Reflections

The interplay of Jonathan and David is a picture of the Christian and His Lord. I believe at some times in the text David can show us a picture of Christ and then at other times Jonathan can. When we get to 1 Samuel 18, it is Jonathan's turn to show us Christ's actions for His Church. David is about to enter into a dark season. He's defeated Goliath but Saul's radar is already up about him. Having investigated his background Saul will grow more suspicious. Eventually, David will be celebrated more than Saul by the young ladies of the nation and the switch will be flipped. Nevertheless, the scripture gives us a beautiful picture of how God prepares His men for the rough seasons of life. Jonathan immediately takes to David. And in loving kindness, Jonathan gives David the very things he will need for his upcoming dark season: 1 Samuel 18:3–4 (ESV) Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the ro...

Deuteronomy 21 ends with three obscure laws that have zero meaning to us if not for the Cross of Christ and His work to make us God's people. The first is the law of the firstborn son. Basically, if a man has two wives and prefers one (obviously the second wife as no one would prefer the first wife or the second would not exist!), he is NOT to show preferential treatment to the son of his preferred wife. The firstborn inheritance goes to the firstborn regardless of his emotional state. This law looks strange as it seems to allow polygamy. Of course, this is not promoting polygamy but drawing constraints around it so that Israel would not do as they wished in less-than-godly situations. The point to be drawn from here is that God understands how often we let our emotions do the talking. We get irrational and unfair in these moments. Think for instance of the unloved woman's son. He would have to bear the consequence of something between his father and mother. God will not ha...

Numbers 5 ends with the most curious prescription for a woman who's husband suspects of adultery. The reason for his suspicion is well founded. It begins by highlighting that the woman has left her home. Numbers 5:12 (ESV) "Speak to the people of Israel, If any man's wife goes astray and breaks faith with him" So the wife in question is not simply suspected for no reason. She has gone astray. The question is, did she defile herself with another man or did she simply abandon him for a while? To find this out a strange procedure was carried out in which the woman would come to the priest and take an oath and drink water mixed with the dust from the floor of the temple and the ink of the curses for adultery written in a book and see what would happen. Here's how the passage illustrates the "test" for her innocence: Numbers 5:23-28 (ESV) "Then the priest shall write these curses in a book and wash them off into the water of bitterness. 24 And he s...