Bible Read Thread

[SarahsKnight]

Just something I noticed that I personally admire David for in the first chapter of Kings. Many people would consider it good to be king of a nation such as this, servants swearing their allegiance to them constantly and given basically anything a man might desire, having the powerful position that he does. It says at the beginning of 1 Kings that when King David was beginning to grow old and apparently weak in health, his servants offered to him a beautiful young girl to "keep him warm" in his last days, since apparently David's body was getting so old and frail that he was even losing natural body temp. I at least assume that where the first chapter describes how he was "getting no heat" (KJV), that his body was literally getting cold in a physical sense rather than any kind of spiritual sense of the word coldness. For me, I personally admire King David's restraint (and see it as a sense of respect and honor towards the young virgin girl, though perhaps in Israel's culture in those days it would have been perfectly acceptable) when he allows the girl given to him to tend to him as a nurse-like figure and physically keep him warm, but he apparently declined to have any actual sexual relation with her even though apparently she was given to David in the first place for just such a purpose. I just respect him for not using his stance as king to take advantage of something most men in his position would have greatly desired, and I personally see it as a sign of respect for the girl, that he did not take full advantage of what was given to him willingly (perhaps because he remembers his past sin of taking Bathsheba from Uriah in his younger days and learned well from it?).

 

[SarahsKnight]

Wednesday: Psalms

Psalms 60 through 62

 

[Goodbook]

I dont really understand why abishag was used as a hot water bottle when Bathesheba could have done that.
Or his many other wives.
But then when his son adonijah wanted to marry abishag solomon just got him executed.

 

[SarahsKnight]

Thursday: Poetry

We start Proverbs today with chapter 1.

 

[Travelers.Soul]

I think Proverbs as a whole can be summed up by verses 2-7 of chapter 1.

"To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:2-7 ESV)

The rest of the chapter is a warning of what happens to the foolish.

 

[Goodbook]

Funny I picked up a book from the church library about guidance and it never once mentioned reading the book of Proverbs.

It kept going on about circumstances, dreams, visions, prophecy, fleeces. It was by Bob Mumford, apparently a well known christian speaker. I think the book would have been much shorter if he just said READ PROVERBS.

 

[SarahsKnight]

Friday: Prophecy

Jeremiah 47 through 52

 

[SarahsKnight]

Saturday: The Gospels

Luke 7 and 8

 

[Goodbook]

Great chapters. In chapter seven, jesus asks Simon a question with a parable. Simon answers, and Jesus says he has judged rightly.

So ppl that claim christians should never ever judge are wrong and dont know their bible.

 

[SarahsKnight]

We start a new book today in the Epistles. Galatians 1 through 3

 

[James of Arc]

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[Jack of Spades]

We start a new book today in the Epistles. Galatians 1 through 3

I love Galatians, and I try to hold back a bit so I won't spam a mile long post here...

Some points that got my eye this time:

1) Galatians 2:2 -- Paul, after figuring out his understanding of the Gospel, goes to discuss it with "those of repute", in order to make sure he hasn't made it up and is not wasting his time on a mission that is not of God.

2) Galatians 2:11-14 -- Paul says that following religious rules for social reasons, as Cephas did, is "not (living) uprightly according to the truth of the gospel".

3) Galatians 3:2 -- I like the fact that Paul is referring to the previous, practical experience of the readers. He's asking, "Do you remember how the Spirit worked previously in your lives? Do you think any of it has changed?" They're not talking about just a theory, but about something that's experiential reality for both the writer and the readers.

 

[Goodbook]

But Jesus just asked Simon to judge.

Did you not read the passage?
Of course we not going to judge the whole world thats not our job. But on occasions YES we can judge. As long as we judge righteously.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I love Galatians, and I try to hold back a bit so I won't spam a mile long post here...

Some points that got my eye this time:

1) Galatians 2:2 -- Paul, after figuring out his understanding of the Gospel, goes to discuss it with "those of repute", in order to make sure he hasn't made it up and is not wasting his time on a mission that is not of God.

2) Galatians 2:11-14 -- Paul says that following religious rules for social reasons, as Cephas did, is "not (living) uprightly according to the truth of the gospel".

3) Galatians 3:2 -- I like the fact that Paul is referring to the previous, practical experience of the readers. He's asking, "Do you remember how the Spirit worked previously in your lives? Do you think any of it has changed?" They're not talking about just a theory, but about something that's experiential reality for both the writer and the readers.

Very good points, Jack. I agree with your general interpretation of what is going on in all three of these verses/passages you have mentioned. And I am glad to see you as a new believer (if I have understood your posts correctly describing what has happened to you upon your recent return?) in this thread. Welcome.

 

[Jack of Spades]

And I am glad to see you as a new believer (if I have understood your posts correctly describing what has happened to you upon your recent return?) in this thread. Welcome.

Oh nothing is that simple in my life But let's not derail the thread, if u want to ask more, ask in my AMA or something?

 

[SarahsKnight]

But Jesus just asked Simon to judge.

Did you not read the passage?
Of course we not going to judge the whole world thats not our job. But on occasions YES we can judge. As long as we judge righteously.

Right, but I think what happened is when you first mentioned this is that we got the impression you were saying it is sometimes okay for Christians to judge someone in a detrimental way. But of course that is not what is happening here in Luke 7 where Jesus asks Simon the question of which of the two debtors he thinks would love more as a result of being forgiven of their sin (obviously being represented by the metaphor of financial debt in the parable). It would appear to me that Jesus was using the word "judge" here as simply saying Simon had answered the question correctly, and in Simon's answer he in no way was condemning or insulting someone for a perceived evil action.

 

[Goodbook]

To Judge does not mean condemn.
I never use the word judge as a way to condemn people. To judge means to discern right from wrong.
There is no condemnation in Jesus Christ anyway. If people dont know Him, they are condemned already. That is why the gospel is good news, because Jesus does not condemn.
It is God the Father only who is the final judge...Jesus is our advocate.

Many christians think we must never judge, but they are wrong. We are to make judgement calls all the time. And sometimes we must judge whether someone is doing something right or wrong. I never said anything about being 'detrimental'. Only the word of God gives us this ability to choose what is righteous..thats why Jesus said we cant judge if we are guilty of the same actions.

Which is why the lawyers and pharisees were not righteous judges. They were hypocrites and they couldnt have answered that question correctly either. They probably would have said the person that gave the biggest bribe should be forgiven.

 

[Goodbook]

Its never ok to insult or condemn someone.
Theres a difference between that and judging. We can judge. As christians we can judge more righteously than people who dont know God.

 

[Travelers.Soul]

I love how Paul doesn't pull any punches in his letter to the Galatians. He just lays it out for them. He reminds them of not only who he is and what right he has (an apostle of Jesus Christ and not from men) but also reminds them of the true Gospel. He then upbraids them for their foolishness concerning the law and reminds them that they are in Christ and thus Abraham's offspring.

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:24-29 ESV)

 

[James of Arc]

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