One Year Bible Readings and Commentary for Saturday, May 7th
Click Here to Listen to the Readings
Click Here to Read 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21
Today we begin reading the first of two books written by Samuel the Priest. Though the books are split into 1st and 2nd Samuel, there is only one Hebrew manuscript.
The story starts by telling of a man named Elkanah from the tribe of Ephraim. He had two wives Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Peninnah taunted Hannah over this fact, and Hannah became very sad and even refused to eat. This was highlighted all the more, as they went to the Tabernacle in Shiloh to offer sacrifices. Peninnah and her and her sons got the choice meat, but Hannah only got one portion, which reminded her of her barrenness.
One day Hannah went into the temple and wept bitterly to the Lord. She made a vow to the Lord that if she had a son, she would offer him back to the Lord and dedicate him to the work of the temple. Eli the priest overheard her and thought she had too much wine to drink. But Hannah told her of her situation and Eli told her to go and peace and the Lord had heard her prayer.
Sure enough the next time Elkanah slept with Hannah, she became pregnant and had a baby boy, who she named Samuel. After weaning him for three years, she brought him and offered him back to Eli per the vow she had made. So the boy assisted Eli by serving the Lord.
You can read Hannah's prayer of praise in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. It is a beautiful outpouring of Hannah's heart to the Lord in thanksgiving for the prayer he answered for her. There is also some prophetic material that would have been good for the people of Israel to hear.
After that we see that Eli's sons, Phineas and Hophni, were lazy servants and not faithful in their priestly duties. They cared more about getting their personal portion of the sacrifices rather than offering them to the Lord. It is clear that God was raising up Samuel for such a time as this. Though he was a young boy, he was far more mature and faithful than Eli's sons, and Eli probably knew it. His mom made him a sacred white linen robes which was a symbol of his consecration and holy calling to serve in the temple.
We see here Hannah's incredible faithfulness and how her crying out to the Lord was heard and answered. In her agony, she bore a son who would become a huge part of Israel's salvation history, as we shall soon see. God uses the small and lowly to humble the high and mighty.
Click Here to Read John 5:1-23
When Jesus was in Jerusalem for one of the annual festivals, he met a paralyzed man lying by a pool, which was thought to have healing qualities, especially if one stirred up the water. But this man had been lying there 38 years, and I am sure it was likely that he had lost hope of been healed any time soon.
I love what Jesus says to him, "Would you like to get well?" I think that is a relevant question because some people are so used to being sick, they might even prefer to be that way. Some people get so deep in self pity that they lose any hope of being healed and succumb to the notion they will be sick all of their lives. The man claims that every time he tries to go near the pool someone beats him to it.
Jesus told him, "Get up and walk!" Miraculously the man did just as Jesus had said. One can only imagine how he felt when that happened. It is shocking to see what happens next. The Pharisees accuse the man of working on the Sabbath, because he is carrying his mat. I am sure they knew the man's condition and were so steeped in their legalism, they could not celebrate this man's incredible healing.
When the men asked him who healed him, he said he did not remember. But later, after running into Jesus, Jesus told him to go back and tell the leaders what had happened. The leaders took this opportunity to harass Jesus for "breaking the Sabbath Laws". When Jesus says, "His Father was working so I am too", they realize Jesus is claiming to be on par with God and they begin to plot to kill him.
Jesus uses another sign to show the Pharisees and the Jewish people who he is. In fact, he tells them that He will do even greaert things than healing this man. He also tells them that the Father has given him the authority to judge and also the authority to give life and take life. Jesus is surely making it clear he considers himself not only human but also divine, or else he would never make these claims.
Comments
Post a Comment