During the Lord’s earthly ministry, His most malicious enemies were not common men or even the Roman government. His greatest enemies were the religious leaders charged with maintaining the spiritual purity of the people of God. How could those most religious create discord with the very One who gave them the dictates for the Jewish religion they claimed to defend? The answer is simple. It was envy! According to John 11:48, the religious leadership of Israel determined that they could not allow Jesus to continue teaching, preaching, and ministering to others. These leaders realized that all men would believe on Him causing the Romans to demote them. They would not allow this to happen. How far would they go to keep their place and nation? The Bible reveals that they would even cause the crucifixion of the innocent Son of God.
In Bible times, the mourning process often included a time of lamentation. Although lamentations were diverse, scripture points to a time set aside for speaking about the deceased. Today’s passage shows that David lamented the passing of Saul and Jonathan. He spoke positively about their efforts in battle (2 Samuel 1:25), their usefulness to Israel (2 Samuel 1:24), and their beauty (2 Samuel 1:23). Apparently, part of the healing process includes speaking of those who have departed. Perhaps it would lead to rejoicing in the good memories and crying at the mention of sad times. Regardless, it is clear that talking about the deceased helps those still alive in a time of mourning.
One of the more difficult things any individual faces in this life involves watching loved ones suffer. Yet, this life is filled with suffering and death. David witnessed just such a tragedy when his child became ill and eventually died. While the child was alive, David implored the Lord for the child’s recovery. No doubt, he was asking God to heal the child and restore health. In addition to praying for the child, David fasted and wept for the life of his newborn. In the end, the Lord decided to take the child. David understood that he could not bring the child back but would one day go to where the child already was. As soon as the child passed, David refocused upon living. He ceased praying for the child and began to comfort his grieving wife.
Man’s appetite can serve as a powerful motivator. Yet, there are times when the body is so troubled because of difficulties that it will either forget its desire to eat or lose its desire to eat altogether. The psalmist said that his heart was smitten to the point that he forgot to eat his bread (Psalm 102:4). In Psalm 107:18, the Bible speaks of men who abhor “all manner of meat” and that “draw near unto the gates of death.” Other Bible characters serve as appropriate examples. Hannah was so distraught by Peninnah’s mocking over her barrenness that she refused to eat (1 Samuel 1:7). David refused to eat while pleading with the Lord for the life of his child (2 Samuel 12:16-17). At other times, illness may cause a severe reduction in appetite.
Food is a necessity for sustaining life. Interestingly, the Bible records several instances where a man’s need for food became a source of great temptation. For instance, Esau was willing to sell his birthright because he considered one meal more valuable than his future inheritance. The Bible also records several instances where the children of Israel allowed their desire for food to incite rebellion against the Lord (Numbers 11:4-6). Another very important example of appetite involves the earliest narratives recorded in Genesis involving an overwhelming appetite. In the garden, Eve partook of the forbidden fruit when she “saw that the tree was good for food” (Genesis 3:6). Due to the many examples of inordinate appetite leading to sin, it comes as no surprise that the Devil first sought to tempt the Lord by commanding stones to be made bread (Luke 4:3) after He had fasted for forty days.
Life is cyclical. Many of the physical challenges experienced by young children will once again be encountered by those who live long enough. As a person ages, many things taken for granted long ago in the prime of life begin to deteriorate. For instance, the Bible says that Israel’s eyes “were dim for age” (Genesis 48:10), Barzillai’s hearing and taste buds were ill affected (2 Samuel 19:34-35), and David “gat no heat” (1 Kings 1:1) as he grew old. For these reasons and others, the Bible emphasizes that aged saints are “old and well stricken in age” (Genesis 18:11). In other words, the passing of time or the coming of age strikes the physical well-being of the body and its physical and mental functions. This physical and mental degeneration is the fulfillment of the cycle of life as the body prepares to return to the dust from whence it originally came (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
Dedicated soldiers are a dying breed, especially amongst Christians. Few people endure when the going gets tough or obstacles surface. The average Christian believes that God’s will involves no hurdles. In the secular world, drill sergeants, employers, and teachers spend a great deal of time and effort trying to instill discipline into those who grew up lacking character with little desire to succeed. This lack of character affects us all. Good soldiers endure hardness. They do not quit in the service of the Lord because of trials and tribulations. Neither do they allow themselves to be entangled in the affairs of this life. Their main desire is to please the very one who chose them to be a soldier in the first place.
The psalmist proclaims: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Unlike the unity of unbelievers and the heathen, the Lord rejoices in the righteous unity of His people. King David was someone who knew and experienced the difficulties of division. He spent a great deal of his life running from a king and those who were against him. Even in the beginning of his reign, the people were divided (2 Samuel 2:8-11). It was not until 7 1/2 years later that the people were united in David (2 Samuel 5:1-5). When the people dwelt in unity, David rejoiced. He likened it to the source of spiritual life for the nation of Israel, the priesthood (Psalm 133:2), and to the source of physical life in the dew of Hermon (Psalm 133:3). In other words, the right kind of unity gave life and hope to the nation!
When someone receives rebuke from another person, it is rarely easy to accept. The person receiving the rebuke may lash out in anger even when the rebuke is scripturally made with longsuffering. The Bible confirms this type of reaction when it says, “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly” (Amos 5:10). This type of reaction is not one of a wise man, nor is it from one who has taken the time to consider the godly rebuke’s content and intention. The Bible also says that afterwards the one who rebukes finds “more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.” Ultimately, the Lord’s reaction is what matters and the scriptural practice of rebuking others within the authority of scripture pleases Him.
On the sabbath day, the Lord Jesus stood to read the scriptures. This was a common practice in New Testament times as the Jews would read the scriptures every sabbath day (Acts 13:27; Acts 15:21). Publick scripture reading was not uncommon and appears to have also been a practice of the Israelites in the Old Testament (Exodus 24:7; Deuteronomy 31:11; 2 Kings 23:2; Nehemiah 8:3). The Bible also records that publick reading was common in the early church. Unlike today, believers did not own personal copies of the scriptures. Believers learned the scripture from publick reading (1 Thessalonians 5:27; 1 Timothy 4:13). Even now, believers should make an effort to publickly read the scriptures.
