Thoughts on the Bible Readings (2 Samuel 17; Jeremiah 21 and Romans 7-8) fro July 31st.

In our readings from chapter 17 of 2nd Samuel we find the further unraveling of Ahithophel's planning to destroy David brought about by Hushai's capability in appealing to capture Absalom's immense vanity and defeat the, otherwise, certain and successful, strategy of Ahithophel. Hushai's counsel also shows that Absalom did not know his father - David - at all. Ahithophel's counsel was relayed to David via Ahimaaz and Jonathan who avoid detection, being aided by a wise woman of Bahurim misdirecting the pursuers of David's spies. On discovering that his counsel had been rejected Ahithophel hung himself. Absalom advanced Amasa in the army ahead of Joab thus furthering the latter's animosity. Verses 27-29 tell of David's host being refreshed by the bounty of faithful Barzillai at Rogelim. One thousand years later a distant descendant of that man's servant Chimham was the owner of the inn at Bethlehem where our Lord Jesus was born. In Jeremiah 21 verses 1-2 we are told that Pashur, who was in favour with king Zedekiah, prophesies of deliverance for Jerusalem from Babylon. Verses 3-7 say that Jeremiah tells his monarch Zedekiah that Pashur's prophecy is a false hope since Yahweh has revealed to his faithful prophet the destruction that the Almighty will bring to Jerusalem because of the evil behaviours of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar will show no pity when he slaughters the nation in his fierce anger. The prophet declares in verses 8-10 that the only hope for survival will be to surrender to the Babylonians. Jeremiah gives an encouraging message to the remnant of God's people who have hearkened to His Word. They are addressed as "The house of David" since, like their former king, this small faithful remainder have sought to please their Heavenly Father. The message is for them to continue to show justice in their lives and refrain from the oppression that characterised the bulk of the nation. Those who failed to heed the message of the Omnipotent Sovereign would experience the fierceness of the fire of His wrath that wouldn't be quenched until it consumed the entire forest. Romans 7 starts with an analogy comparing the liberty to remarry providing the former spouse had deceased with the believer's freedom from the law because Christ's death was the death-knell for the Mosaic law. The chapter showed the law's purpose in provoking peoples' covetous lusts demonstrating human incapacity to be righteous on the basis of law keeping. A delight in God's law within our mind must make the coming freedom in Christ's Kingdom a foretaste of the final freedom when we will be set free. Romans 8 indicates that desire must be supported by a concerted attempt to live after the spirit by thinking spiritually and not carnally. What was impossible for the law to provide - a totally sinless being from Adam's progeny - our Heavenly Father produced in a unique man, completely possessed of every passion and frailty common to humanity; yet as a product of his Divine parentage and strengthening by constant imprinting of Yahweh's Word a Victor over fleshly thinking. The chapter tells us that those, who like their Lord, are led by spirit thinking will likewise be God's children. The chapter tells us the steps involved in the process of our being saved, as verses 28-30, show. Finally the encouragement of verses 31-39 reveal to us that God has done above and beyond what we could conceivably think - so the remaining perceived impediments are minuscule by comparison. God's demonstrated desire to see the faithful in His Kingdom can only be thwarted by ourselves. Read these verses aloud and marvel at the message of the love God has for His children and has been shown to us by the life, death and glorifying of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Our closing contemplation comes from verse 28: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (ESV). Penned by Warwick Rosser and his team, produced by Christadelphianvideo.org See more Thoughts from the Christadelphian Dialy Bible Reading Planner (By R.Roberts) here... https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-bible-readings-2-samuel-17-jeremiah-21-and-romans-7-8-fro-july-31st/?feed_id=97092&_unique_id=6889d71023018