Psalm 15: This psalm is a refreshing contrast to the previous psalm that focused on those who said there is no God. Here, by contrast, it is about “Lord-fearers” (4) who come to the pre-Temple tabernacle atop Mount Zion in Jerusalem by asking rhetorically, “LORD, who will sojourn in Your tent, /who will dwell on Your holy mountain?” (1)
The answer follows quickly, outlining the qualities of the good man: “He who walks blameless / and does justice/ and speaks the truth in his heart.” (2). And unlike those who use their tongues to do great harm by denying God and demeaning others, the Lord-fearer is one “Who slanders not with his tongue /nor does to his fellow man evil /nor bears reproach for his kin.” (3) Notice that as usual, the tongue is mentioned ahead of other sins, reminding us that it is what we say that can be the greatest sin of all.
The good man’s actions also speak to his righteousness, “When he vows to his fellow man, /he does not revoke it.” (4) and then, “His money he does not give at interest /and no bribe for the innocent takes.” (5a) The beneficial outcome of this man’s good words and deeds is summarized succinctly in the last verse, “He who does these /will never stumble.” (5b)
The problem of course is that we are incapable of leading the holy and righteous life described here–especially in matters of the tongue. That is why we have confession and forgiveness through Jesus Christ who forgives our sins. But this psalm stands as a stark reminder of what God’s standards of righteous behavior are.
1 Chronicles 19,20: David continues to build his kingdom by still more military victories. The Chronicler gives us the backstories such as the humiliation of David’s emissaries by the Ammonite king. The Ammonites and Arameans decide to go to war with David, who sends his greatest general, Joab, to fight. He splits the Army in two, one side against the Ammonites, the other against the Areamean. This strategy pays off as each army sees the other fleeing. The Arameans retreat but then bring in fresh troops “from beyond the Euphrates,” but they, too, are defeated, this time by David himself.
As always, the Chronicler includes God’s role in this as Joab says, “Be strong, and let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” (19:13) Which I find a far more satisfying and honest attitude than the usual “God is on our side.”
Warrior kings like David and those who surrounded Israel saw their primary duty as warmaking. The Chronicler reminds us of this with the famous opening line of chapter 20: “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle.” This time, David achieves final victory over the Ammonites and captures their capital of Rabbah, collecting, among other booty, the Ammonite king’s crown “that weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head.”
Then on to a final defeat of the ever-warring Philistines, including (who knew!) the slaying of Lahmi, Goliath’s (apparently younger) brother. Still more giants “descended form the giants in Gath,” including a guy with 12 fingers and 12 toes, “fell by the hand of David and his servants.” Given the detail with which the Chronicler recounts these battles, we have to accept that these giants did in fact exist in David’s time.
Acts 14:21–15:5: Paul and Barnabas, having learned their lesson about performing miracles at Lystra, now focus on preaching and encouragement as they “strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, ‘It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.'” (14:22) Luke describes their itinerary in great detail: they went back to Lystra and Iconium, then returned to Antioch. Then back out again to Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga, Attalia and returning to Antioch, which was what we would now call the “sending church.” Paul and Barnabas have indeed “opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.” (14:28)
But some of the Jewish Christians in Judea, while accepting that Gentiles can join the church, but insist that like other Gentiles who convert to Judiasm, must be circumcised first. “Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them,” (15:2) in Antioch, and agree to go to Jerusalem to discuss the matter further. But no trip is wasted and they continue to convert Gentiles, this time in Phoenicia and Samaria as the travel south to Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem church welcomes them, and Paul and Barnabas “reported all that God had done with them.” (15:4). But then it’s down to business as “some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.” (15:5). Thus, the Council at Jerusalem commences over the first great disagreement within the church.
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