In the Name of the Lord!!!
Daily Bread 10/11/12
Psalm 118:10-14
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
Reflection: Again we see in spite of the many trials and tribulations surrounding David, we see the source of strength for him. Notice he repeats the phrase, “In the name of the Lord”. This is his way of attributing all of his success to the Lord. It was not in the name of King David that he triumphed, but in the name of the Lord. The judgment over his enemies was not in his power, but in the name of the Lord. His salvation (deliverance) came in the name of the Lord.
This is a great foreshadowing of the New Testament when we will learn that salvation is found in no other name than the name of the Lord. And there is no other name by which we are saved than the name of the Lord. Of course the word “Lord” is the name for sovereign power and in the Old Testament it is the word “Yahweh”, which is the name God gave to Moses which meant “I AM”. When we go in the name of the Lord, or speak in the name of the Lord, we are saying I surrender the outcome to the One who created all this and His will be done.
What do you need to give over to the name of the Lord. It could be a healing prayer? A battle you are facing? A worry? Remember there is power in the name of the Lord and we are to call on the name in prayer, praise and thanks!
2 Samuel 2 David Anointed King Over Judah
2 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. 2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.
War Between the Houses of David and Saul 8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months. 12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said. 15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. 17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men. 18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered. 21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. 22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?” 23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?” 27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. 29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim. 30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
Reflection: David continues to honor Saul by honoring the men who gave him a decent burial. Unlike some of the other men, they notice God had anointed David, but are respectful to Saul as the Lord’s anointed and then join David’s forces. This reading seems like a bloody mess, and reminds us that when the people of God cried, “We want a king! We want a king!”, they were getting what they asked for. We will see over the next several chapters how earthly kings rule and how badly things get when God is not the true king of a nation. David is the best possible king, and yet we will even see how some of his greatest strengths become his greatest weaknesses. Eventually he will not be able to see the temple at home in Jerusalem because of his sin.
This reminds us not to put our faith in earthly kings, leaders and/or pastors, and there is but one King. As leaders put their trust in that King, they can lead people. The moment we start building our own kingdoms out of pride or lust for power, it is certain to fall and there will be chaos all around us.
John 6:52-59
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Reflection: As Jesus continues to reveal his true identity as the son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, today’s passage takes on a sacramental quality. After Jesus has said He is the bread of the world, he further defines this by foretelling of his body and blood being offered on the cross. Jesus is connecting this teaching with the isolated incident of the feeding of the five thousand, and letting people know that those people will get hungry again, but He will provide the sustenance people will need for eternal life.
And again, the people who are following (the crowds), and even some of his disciples in the outer core will walk away (as we will see tomorrow) because of this teaching. People are fine watching Jesus perform the signs, but when he asks them to apply it personally by realizing that it is only through Him that they can have eternal life, they reject him.
A lot of us want to rejoice on Easter that He is Risen, as we should, but we also have to take into account that the road before that led to the cross, where Jesus’ body was broken and blood poured out. In order to live in the power of the resurrection of Easter, we must contemplate and enter into what Jesus did for us on Good Friday?
What Jesus is teaching us here is that we must each personally apply what He did for us on the cross. He does this by saying unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you cannot have eternal life. He is using hyperbole to make his point, but the point is not lost. Each time you go up for Holy Communion you are remembering what Jesus did for you and personally appropriating it by faith trusting that this is how you are saved!
Prayer: God you are our King. You came into the world through Your Son Jesus and showed us Your great love for us. As we receive this gift of grace by faith, help us to live out our lives with You reigning in our hearts in every decision we make, word we say, and action we live out. May we do it all in the Name of the Lord! Amen.
Psalm 118:10-14
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
Reflection: Again we see in spite of the many trials and tribulations surrounding David, we see the source of strength for him. Notice he repeats the phrase, “In the name of the Lord”. This is his way of attributing all of his success to the Lord. It was not in the name of King David that he triumphed, but in the name of the Lord. The judgment over his enemies was not in his power, but in the name of the Lord. His salvation (deliverance) came in the name of the Lord.
This is a great foreshadowing of the New Testament when we will learn that salvation is found in no other name than the name of the Lord. And there is no other name by which we are saved than the name of the Lord. Of course the word “Lord” is the name for sovereign power and in the Old Testament it is the word “Yahweh”, which is the name God gave to Moses which meant “I AM”. When we go in the name of the Lord, or speak in the name of the Lord, we are saying I surrender the outcome to the One who created all this and His will be done.
What do you need to give over to the name of the Lord. It could be a healing prayer? A battle you are facing? A worry? Remember there is power in the name of the Lord and we are to call on the name in prayer, praise and thanks!
2 Samuel 2 David Anointed King Over Judah
2 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. 2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.
War Between the Houses of David and Saul 8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months. 12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said. 15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. 17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men. 18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered. 21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. 22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?” 23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?” 27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. 29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim. 30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
Reflection: David continues to honor Saul by honoring the men who gave him a decent burial. Unlike some of the other men, they notice God had anointed David, but are respectful to Saul as the Lord’s anointed and then join David’s forces. This reading seems like a bloody mess, and reminds us that when the people of God cried, “We want a king! We want a king!”, they were getting what they asked for. We will see over the next several chapters how earthly kings rule and how badly things get when God is not the true king of a nation. David is the best possible king, and yet we will even see how some of his greatest strengths become his greatest weaknesses. Eventually he will not be able to see the temple at home in Jerusalem because of his sin.
This reminds us not to put our faith in earthly kings, leaders and/or pastors, and there is but one King. As leaders put their trust in that King, they can lead people. The moment we start building our own kingdoms out of pride or lust for power, it is certain to fall and there will be chaos all around us.
John 6:52-59
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Reflection: As Jesus continues to reveal his true identity as the son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, today’s passage takes on a sacramental quality. After Jesus has said He is the bread of the world, he further defines this by foretelling of his body and blood being offered on the cross. Jesus is connecting this teaching with the isolated incident of the feeding of the five thousand, and letting people know that those people will get hungry again, but He will provide the sustenance people will need for eternal life.
And again, the people who are following (the crowds), and even some of his disciples in the outer core will walk away (as we will see tomorrow) because of this teaching. People are fine watching Jesus perform the signs, but when he asks them to apply it personally by realizing that it is only through Him that they can have eternal life, they reject him.
A lot of us want to rejoice on Easter that He is Risen, as we should, but we also have to take into account that the road before that led to the cross, where Jesus’ body was broken and blood poured out. In order to live in the power of the resurrection of Easter, we must contemplate and enter into what Jesus did for us on Good Friday?
What Jesus is teaching us here is that we must each personally apply what He did for us on the cross. He does this by saying unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you cannot have eternal life. He is using hyperbole to make his point, but the point is not lost. Each time you go up for Holy Communion you are remembering what Jesus did for you and personally appropriating it by faith trusting that this is how you are saved!
Prayer: God you are our King. You came into the world through Your Son Jesus and showed us Your great love for us. As we receive this gift of grace by faith, help us to live out our lives with You reigning in our hearts in every decision we make, word we say, and action we live out. May we do it all in the Name of the Lord! Amen.
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