Bible reading for weekend September 12-13.
2 Samuel 7-9.
"And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever." (2 Samuel 7:16)
THE DAVIDIC COVENANT. Along with the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and New covenants, God's covenant with David is critical in understanding the history of redemption. God promises that David's lineage and dynasty would continue in perpetuity. David's descendants would be disciplined if they were disobedient but God's love would never depart as it did from King Saul's dynasty. How can such a dynasty as David's last forever? It could be through a perpetual line of kings descended from David. But David himself speaks of one to come, his greater Son, whom he calls "Lord" (Psalm 110:1). And the prophet Isaiah tells us that there will be one Davidic ruler who would be eternal: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore" (Isa 9:6-7).
THE MESSIAH'S ADDRESS. The Bible progressively specifies the identity of the promised Messiah. It's like the address on a letter, first the state, then the city, then street, then house number, etc. Out of all the human race the Lord narrows down the address of God's son. He would be the offspring of Eve (Gen 3:15), the son of Abraham (Gen 12:3), from the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10), and now from the house and lineage of David. The Messiah would even be born in David's modest hometown (Micah 5:2). The various authors of the Hebrew Scriptures give over 60 major prophecies that we might be able to identify and locate God's Son, the Messiah, our Savior. Do you know some of these prophecies that you might share with others who do not know the Lord? Have you thanked the Lord for his grace and kindness in giving us all these prophecies?
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2 Corinthians 1-2.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
FOLLOW-UP. The first letter to the church in Corinth contained some necessary rebukes to that congregation. Afterwards, Paul made a visit to Corinth, which he calls "the painful visit" (2:1). This second letter was a follow-up, though some scholars think there may have been another letter, now lost, which was between 1 and 2 Corinthians. This epistle (2 Cor) is more conciliatory in tone than the first. The man excommunicated in chapter 5 of the first epistle has now been restored (2:6-8). Later in the letter Paul will defend his apostolic authority, which was an issue to the Corinthians. See Constable's reconstruction of the visits and letters to the Corinthian church on this chapter at NETBible.org.
REFLECT. Paul reaffirms his love and concern for the believers in Corinth. His ministry to them was sincerely motivated. It was not a matter of posturing or financial gain. He was laboring for their good and God's glory: "For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ" (2:17). Take a moment now to thank God for the godly leaders which he has placed in your life, those who love, care for, and guide you for God's glory and for your benefit, without regard to their own personal benefit. Pray for more church leaders like Paul.
We are following the Robert Murray M'Cheyne (RMM) two-year reading schedule, as arranged by D. A. Carson. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The NET Bible is a free, online resource, and a ministry of bible.org.
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