For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
1 Sam. 25
Abigail was married to a fool. Thus, she was something of a slave to him and his evil ways. In spite of that, she chose to oppose her foolish husband to serve God’s chosen one, humbly acknowledging the guilt that was hers because of her circumstances. As a result, David offered to make her his bride. She accepted, again with humility saying, “Here I am, your servant, a slave to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” (1 Sam. 25:41b).
I see a glimpse of our salvation story in all of that. We are slaves to our sin; married to our human nature. This is our guilt. Even so, we can choose to turn from that foolish master and serve the King of Kings instead. He willingly takes us in, freeing us from our guilt. Abigail’s statement of acceptance then shows us how we become like Jesus when He accepts us as His bride. We know that from John 13:14. “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
1 Sam. 26
It seems there is always somebody ready and willing to help evil with its agenda. This time it was the Ziphites ratting out David’s position to Saul. Why do so many people side with what is evil to oppose what is good? I think some, like Doeg, the Edomite, are evil themselves. Their desire is for power, position, and wealth and they pursue it at any cost. The majority, however, are likely either ignorant, misguided, or simply scared. They may know they are taking the wrong side, but lack the courage to do what is right. Or they may be so deceived that they honestly believe they are standing for the right thing.
This wasn’t just a problem in Bible times, though. The issue still exists today. In spades. I think, really, it is the story of humanity. That is why Jesus said, “How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” (Matt. 7:14). It is also why God, throughout the entire Bible, is so harsh on false prophets and teachers who lead others astray. Honestly, lies are all around us. The great deceiver is loud, persistent, and actively trying to draw us away from God. It is dangerously easy to fall into his trap. Which is why it is so important for us to, as the author of Hebrews wrote, “have [our] powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Heb. 5:14b).
1 Sam. 27
Interesting…I commented the other day how the Bible is very vague with certain details. These quite frequently include times and ages. Yet in this chapter we get a very specific time period. “And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.” (1 Sam. 27:7). It makes me wonder if there is something significant about that information.