my burg

Bible reading for September 17.  2 Samuel 13. "But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day." (2 Samuel 13:37)  FAMILY SINS. This event likely took place some years later but is recorded here, following the events of chapter 12, to show the fulfillment of God's words to David through the prophet Nathan: "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife" (12:10). We read of Amnon's sexual assault upon his half-sister. Then nothing is done about this. Two years later Absalom conspires to murder Amnon, does so, and flees the territory. Again, it appears that David is passive. Surely, this is something of a replay of Genesis 3-4, with temptation presented (with shrewdness), an appeal to sight and pleasure, the passivity of male leadership, and resulting family violence (see also James 4:1-3; ...

Bible reading for Feb 26:  Exodus 9; Luke 12. "But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die." (Exodus 9:4) The plagues continue, but with a difference (Ex 9:4).  "The Lord will make a distinction..."  Much of Egypt will suffer in the succeeding plagues, but the land of Goshen, where Israel dwells, will be spared.  The theme of division, or separation, is a key theme throughout Scripture.   Before God fills the earth (Gen 1) he first separates:  light from dark, sky from water, land from sea. And then he fills it with good creatures.  God separates Seth from Cain, Noah from the pre-flood world, Abraham from Chaldea, Lot from Sodom, and now Israel from Egypt. Later it will be the church taken out from all the nations.  Separated to the Lord.   This has great bearing upon our life and behavior.  A little late...