Bible Reading Reflection from 1 Samuel 1-7

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙:𝟚𝟟-𝟚𝟠

"For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there."

We all know Hannah is a woman who poured out her heart before God like a drunk woman. Have we ever prayed like that? Hannah made a vow as well! Hmm! She asked for a son. And she gives back to God.

Abraham desired a son. And God desired Abraham to give back his son to God. Hannah outshone Abraham? 😉

Hannah is a grateful woman. She gives back everything willingly, gladly!

Jesus sought grateful people (remember the nine lepers?). God loves to answer the prayers of grateful people!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚:𝟙

"Then Hannah prayed and said, ‘My heart 𝕖𝕩𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕤 in the LORD; My horn is 𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕕 in the LORD, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.’"

Notice the words "Exult" and "Exalted"

What's the difference between exultation and exaltation? Well, a dictionary exists to differentiate such words!

Interesting that these two words are found in this verse. Many people didn't know the difference, even the Americans and English! I myself was forced to look up in dictionary by none other than John Piper. He is good at English!

Before Piper was a student of Biblical Language, he was a student of English Literature. He was an English Honors student!

Steve Lawson said that every good preacher is good in Language/English (grammar). He himself mastered English Grammar after he became a Bible student.

Well, let's know the difference between exultation and exaltation and often include them in our Christian vocabulary, especially in prayer as Hannah did!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟛:𝟙𝟟-𝟙𝟠

"He said, ‘What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.’ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, ‘It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.’"

Hmmm! A great episode! Three Remarks:

1. Though Eli was a weak leader, his devotion to God was splendid! May we learn to let God be God and let Him do what is pleasing to Him!

2. Though Samuel was young and looked up to Eli as his reverend mentor, he was brave to proclaim judgment upon him by the word of the LORD. May we be people of courage, declaring what God says, and not afraid of culture, consensus, or the spirit of the age!

3. Though Eli knew the judgment upon him, yet he still asked Samuel. He invoked God to judge young Samuel if he would not reveal all the truths! Eli was indeed a good mentor, a strong mentor, at last! He wasn't able to bring up his children, but here, he made Samuel accountable to him, and himself accountable to Samuel (God)! May we learn to face (admit, expose, accept) our mistakes, weakness, and sins!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟜:𝟚𝟙, 𝟙𝟠

v21. "And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, ‘The glory has departed from Israel," because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.’"

v18. "When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years."

I've a non-Christian banker friend who used to ask me to lend my Bible to keep near his pillow to avoid a nightmare (ghostly dreams).

Well, I also know a lot of professing Christians who used their Bible for good luck, charms, and whatever! It's not uncommon to see many people opening their Bible randomly, reading a verse or two, just before they pray as they set out for the examination hall! (Maybe I was guilty too).

Israelites were doing that. God had abandoned them. And still, they tried to manipulate God by bringing out the Ark of God. It's tantamount to idolatry. God not only killed them but allowed the Ark of God to be captured too. Our Bibles are just a collection of papers! It has no power to save. Maybe if you keep it in your chest pocket and if somebody shoots you there, it may serve as bulletproof, but not more than that. Or yes, it can be used to treat Ganglion Cyst as Doctors called it a Bible cyst. Or like the Nazis, you can use them as toilet papers.

Well, to Roger, Tyndale, and some Chinese persecuted Christians, Bible is precious just as the Ark of God was precious to Eli and his daughter-in-law, they dropped dead. What a way to die! With the thought of the Glory of God in their deaths!

Earlier, Eli was indicted by God for loving his sons more than his love for the honor of God's name. His manner of death seems to say that Eli died a changed man; he repented! In his last days, the glory of God was more important than the battle or the life of his children!

“Ichabod!” Bible is Ichabod without meditation. Christian Living is Ichabod without obedience. Prayer is Ichabod without submission to God's will.

BTW, it wasn't a complete Ichabod. God's presence was, is, and always be there even in His fiercest judgment!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟝:𝟙𝟙

"They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people." For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there."

God's glory departed from Israel and the battle was lost.

God's glory visited upon the Philistines and they were struck with tumors.

The people of God (Israelites) were ridiculous, but God is not to be mocked. The Philistines mocked Yahweh by treating Him as equal or inferior to Dagon. Yahweh is not one among the gods. He has no equal. He is the only Almighty Potentate.

Some people mocked Jesus because of some phony Christians. Some refused to become Christians because of the behavior of some Christians! Not a good reason. They may even attack them, but they better be careful not to dishonor God!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟞:𝟙𝟡-𝟚𝟘

"He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. The men of Beth-shemesh said, ‘Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?’"

Nowadays, 'God' is so cool that anyone can worship Him. You can sing whatever song you like. You can preach whatever you like. You can wear whatever you like. You can do whatever suits you best.

Have you ever heard anyone asking, "Who can serve God?" The Israelites realized that. God is not cool. He is holy. And we cannot serve Him. Joshua has warned them already that we cannot serve God in our ways.

I think it’s Steve Lawson who said that Preachers are trying to make the narrow gate wider. In doing so, they have made the herd of goats bigger.

God is a consuming fire! He kills and damns. The ark of God didn't kill the Philistines, it killed the Israelites, over 50,000 people.

Somebody said, "If you kill a man, you are a murderer. If you kill 1000 you are a conqueror. If you kill 10,000, you are a god." Indeed, Yahweh is God.

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟟:𝟙𝟘

"Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel."

God often used nature to accomplish great things. Indeed, nature is more obedient to God than man. And man loves to blow his trumpet even when it is not of his might! God would not share His glory with a man! And man loves to seek glory for himself!

Bible Reading Reflection from Ruth 1-4

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (PTS), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day] 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟙:𝟚𝟘

"She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.’"

How many of us have a good name with a good meaning? I guess, all of us, if our parents aren't that horrible, and our parents aren't horrible, of course!

Naomi had a good name, but she couldn't live up to her name. She didn't experience what her name said it to be. She couldn't fulfil her parents' dream. She preferred to change her name!

But she relied on God in her heydays and gloomy days. Indeed, she lost her husband and all her children. God looked too bitter to her. But she remained steadfast in her faith towards Yahweh that made Ruth abandon everything and follow Naomi to follow Yahweh.

A time of "Mara" was upon her, but God meant it "Naomi" for her. In a bizarre way but the providence of God, she got Boaz as her "son" who brought amazing happiness not only to her but to all. Above all, she became the great grandmother of Jesus Christ!

Naomi is indeed Naomi! There may not be a miracle to your name, but there's a miracle of God for those who keep clinging to God!

 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟚:𝟙𝟚

"May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge."

When I was in Shillong, I knew a man with an impeccable reputation. When he was cleaning his home, his neighbour, a young lady helped him. In gratitude, he was wishing prosperity, success, good life, etc. for her. Then two elderly women next door quipped, "Why don't you just marry her?"

Hmm! Boaz never knew that the blessing he was pronouncing upon Ruth was he himself. Ruth as well hadn't anticipated that possibility at this point of the story (v19-20).

Many times, we pray, we bless, we wish, but sometimes we could be the answer, the blessing, the hope, the comfort to some of those prayers, people, or places!

Remember Boaz's Blessing!

 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟛:𝟝

"She said to her, ‘All that you say I will do.’"

Boaz was an old man. Perhaps he wasn't handsome either. Perhaps there were richer men, more handsome, and suitable grooms for this elegant lady Ruth (cf. v10)

Ruth wasn't a gold digger, (which BTW, all modern women are accused to be). She didn't look for 6-packs abs or anything of the sort.

What she did was in obedience to her mother-in-law's counsel, which is to fulfil Yahweh's commandment of Levirate marriage. A Moabite woman chose to follow the God of Israel even when it concerned her very life.

And she proposed Boaz marry her using the same language Boaz has blessed her before! A Smart Brave Chaste Religious Beautiful Lady!

What was the reaction of Boaz? He summarised her in one word "Excellent," a woman of excellence, v11. And it reminds us of the excellent woman of Proverbs 31.

This response of Ruth to Naomi also reminds us about another man who destroyed his career and his people because he didn't listen to the counsel of wise elders, king Rehoboam.

 

ℝ𝕌𝕋ℍ 𝟜:𝟙𝟜-𝟙𝟝

"Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a ℝ𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕣 today, and may his name become famous in Israel. May he also be to you a ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕣 of life and a 𝕊𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕣 of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.’"

This is a fitting concluding remark in the book of Ruth. It summarizes the theme of Ruth— that God is a Redeemer, also a Restorer and a Sustainer!

Indeed, Yahweh, our God is!

Epilogue: Naomi reclaimed her name. And the women of Bethlehem (not only Naomi and Boaz) confirmed that Ruth was an excellent woman. In their words, "better than seven sons."

@___________if your baby is a girl, may she be better than seven sons. If a boy, like David of course! 👍

What an amazing cast of characters!

Bible Reading Reflection from Judges 15-21

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟝:𝟙

"But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, "I will go in to my wife in her room." But her father did not let him enter."

Mark Driscoll had a reputation of preaching the Song of Songs in a very sexually graphic way, for which the words of commentator Tremper Longman "it reveals more about the interpreters than the text" is appropriate.

On the other end, we have people like JD Grear and Ed Litton who say the Bible whispers about sexual sin. The Bible shouted as loud as it can be against sexual sin. But actually, it seems to give a whispering description about sexual activity. May we never preach it, teach it, imagine it, or read it to sin. Recently Abraham Piper (a prodigal son of John Piper) in a TikTok video revealed that as a pastor’s kid, he would read Song of Songs with an illicit pleasure.

The Bible I will argue is R-rated when it comes to violence, like hacking Agag into pieces, or Phinehas spearing through Zimri and Cozbi. However, it will be PG or Family rating when it comes to nudity! And preachers often do otherwise because the former sounds bad the latter sells!

Even in this passage, the story is narrated carefully, with a common verb "go"

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟞:𝟚𝟘

"She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him."

Playing with fire, Playing with the devil, and Playing with sin are Playing with Delilah. What sadness! "As at other times, but" Thieves must be thinking the same. At least almost all the heist movies I watched are like that. 😄 Saying "one more time, and this shall be the last" and they died!

When we play with things unplayable, we keep on saying one more time, and hardly it stops, it keeps saying one more time, or finally gets caught!

Don't play with Delilah! Better to dwell in the corner of the rooftop in solitude! 😬

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟟:𝟞

"In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes."

Judges 17 records the bizarre story of Micah: Sin upon sin. Personal sin to family sin to community sin unfolds. Indeed, sin breeds, and is rightly compared to a contagious virus and cancer!

In our daily conversation, "he did his best" is often an expression of defeat to make it sound nicer than what actually is. Man doing, according to what he thinks is best and right is a pathetic condition expressed politely. Moses warned them not to live like this (Deut. 12:8)!

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟠:𝟚𝟘

"The priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod and household idols and the graven image and went among the people."

A wise priest indeed! If you are willing [planning or scheming] to be wicked, at least be rich. It's better to be a rich wicked man than to be a poor wicked fool!

I heard a rumour that some Muslim groups promised to give a sum of 2 lakh rupees to some of our people in Tamenglong if they would become Muslims. Hmm! I don't know the rest of the deal, but I would not mind them becoming Muslims and getting 2 lakh rupees than to remain poor and still go to hell! 😬😎

Now, Micah’s idolatry has turned to family idolatry to Clan idolatry. Individual to Community. Sin spreads!

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟡:𝟚𝟚

"While they were celebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, ‘Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him.’"

Chapter 18 was Idolatry — Individual to Community.

Chapter 19 is Immortality — Individual to Community.

The pandemic of sin, corruption!

There are certain worthless fellows in every society at any time, I suppose.

The world at biblical times is not better than our world now. They were told to live differently, and we are still told to not live like the world.

Instead of being transformed by the word, people are conforming to the world. Let's live by the conviction from the exemplary saints gone before us, not by the culture of our time.

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟚𝟘:𝟚𝟛

"The sons of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?" And the LORD said, "Go up against him.""

These guys didn't want to kill but were willing to slaughter if necessary. It was expressed genuinely through weeping till evening and then burnt up their cities.

Hmm! Before you burnt up somebody's home, weep before God from morning till evening! Before you confront others, weep over him before God. Before you criticize somebody, pray, pray, pray, yea, a long prayer!

Or shut off your mouth, huh! 😬😂

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟚𝟙:𝟙𝟘

"And the congregation sent 12,000 of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones."

What insanity! They were weeping for Benjamites, yet set out to massacre the people of Jabesh-gilead. And they allowed their women to be kidnapped by the Benjamites.

Didn't the war start because of molesting a concubine by the Benjamites, and now allowing their women to be kidnapped? Mankind is not only depraved but stupid!  The same insanity, stupidity can be said of the covid pandemic of our time!

Bible Reading Reflection from Judges 8-14

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day] 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟠:𝟛𝟜-𝟛𝟝

"Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;  𝕟𝕠𝕣 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕦𝕓𝕓𝕒𝕒𝕝 (𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕤, 𝔾𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠𝕟) 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 all the good that he had done to Israel."

Honor to whom honor is due! David showed kindness to a son of Jonathan!  Jesus showed kindness to His [earthly] mother, Mary entrusting John to take care of her!

Let's practice to honor our leaders, mentors, parents, even their children and family members! Hmmm!

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟡:𝟚

"Speak, now, in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?' Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh."

Power grab. Followed by Jotham's parable. Followed by Chaos in the lands. Followed by deaths!

I strongly see Public Health as a power grab. Jotham's parable will unfold.

Chaos is in the lands. Deaths are skyrocketing (not from covid, but other causes). Maybe it will last for a generation and will be gone.

I wish to live long enough to see the death of nations, but don't want to endure the stupidity of people as well! So whatever life, short or long, I will be contented!

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟘:𝟞

"The people of Israel 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟 did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the LORD and did not serve him."

The centuries of Israel's history compressed into a few pages of Judges actually resembles our life!

A generation sinned. B generation suffered. C generation repented. D generation victorious. E generation sinned. F generation suffered and the cycle went on.

“Again” is the watchword. 7 cycles of "again" in the book of Judges are selectively recorded to show the completeness of the pattern of life. Totally depraved!

Falling again and again here and there in the journey of life. Christian in the Pilgrim's Progress reached the river with bruises and numerous falls!

Judges is not a year event, it's an account of generation after generation. I think it's still happening and we will confirm it if we study history...

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟙:𝟛

"Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him."

Another painful chapter. It contains positive and negative contents to reflect upon. Israel was so weak that it had no leader. They had to choose an outcast guy for their leader, Jephthah, a son of a prostitute, a leader of worthless fellows. It was a desperate situation. Shame, shame, shame on Israel to think of him to lead them! Stupidity begets stupid leadership!

However, this particular episode was the doing of God. It was God who raised him up to be one of the judges of Israel. If God can make anything useful out of outcast and worthless Jephthah, He sure can [make use] of you and me!

Even Jephthah was a bizarre guy. He sacrificed his daughter, again proving Jephthah is not the hero of the story. It's the covenant-keeping God who chooses to accomplish great things through fallen man for rebellious people because of His faithfulness even when everyone is unfaithful!

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟚:𝟞

"They said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell."

How many enemies (Ammonites) have they killed? And how many of their own people (Israelites) have they killed? Who posed a greater threat? The enemies or their own people?

When did the threat and the slaughter of their own people happen? After the victory against the enemies. Scripture has recorded incident after incident portraying threat and wickedness from inside often happening (and even to a greater extent) after a victory against outside. If you win an outside battle, be careful of your inside.

Or what about this? If you are able to modify your public behaviour, be careful of your private behaviour? Some people are saints outside their home, devils inside their home. Some people love to pray outside and hardly pray in their own room. That's a long stretch of reflection, of course!

But again, our own people can be more dangerous than the enemies. Britishers left India and the bloodbath of India-Pakistan.

Coronavirus a global health threat? Let's see what Vaccination will do. Unvaccinated people are beginning to be segregated. Now, for common people, the government is a bigger threat than the coronavirus!

PS1:  For Jephthah, Ephraimites were a bigger threat than the Ammonites. And interestingly, the Ephraimites thought Gidealites were a bigger threat than the Ammonites.

The government (at least Israel has announced) thinks unvaccinated people are a threat to society. And the common normal people think the government is a threat to them as the mandates are carried out!

And Christians are not even coming together to worship God. Let's see, whether unvaccinated people can go to church or not. Perhaps they may as well be denied heaven!

PS2: Vaccination or Vaccinated may soon be the Shibboleth of our time!  Or the new colour of our time, new apartheid. Like the White people and Black People.

Sorry for the extensive thought.

But no sorry as well. Since this group [WhatsApp group] is almost always silent. So! 🙂

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟛:𝟚

"There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no children."

Hmmm! As much as my memory recalls, every barren woman in the Bible bare child again by the goodwill of God. Indeed, each child of a barren woman is a child conceived of prayer, and so, no surprise grew up to be a man of God.

However, there's no promise that every barren woman will bear a child someday! But we are permitted to be importunate in our prayers. I am not a woman, not even a married man, but I have seen the incomplete joy of many couples.

David Brainerd a missionary to Native Indians wrote in his journals, many times about his depression concerning the barrenness of his ministry. He was just 26-27 years old then. God in His goodness made him successful. He was one of the most fruitful missionaries that other generations of missionaries like Carey, Henry took inspiration from. However, his ministry was short, 2-4 years of ministry and he died at the age of 29.

Barrenness in married life, in ministry, in career, exam, or in whatever we are, may we look up to heaven until the angel of the Lord opens the door of heaven to bless us to be fruitful!

 

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔾𝔼𝕊 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟜

"So he said to them, ‘Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.’ But they could not tell the riddle in three days."

I have been reading this verse every single year of my Christian life, but I still haven't understood the sensibility of this riddle. It's a bad riddle, actually not a riddle to my family's standard. I and my family love riddle. We had spent asking riddles all our childhood days, and we continue to ask when we come together for Christmas.

What do you think of this riddle??? 😬

We would call this "la-tu-me" [in Rongmei language] meaning it's unqualified to be called a riddle! 😂