Commuter Bible OT

As mentioned at the beginning of our last episode, we’re taking a brief hiatus from the narrative of Solomon to read through Song of Songs. This continues in line with our chronological reading of the Old Testament. The Lord created mankind in his image as male and female, and from the beginning the joys of sex were part of his design for humanity. Speaking of Adam and Eve’s union in the Garden of...

We’re taking a brief hiatus from the narrative of Solomon to read through Song of Songs, which was either written for Solomon or written by Solomon. This is a song about the thrills of love, marriage, and sexual intimacy. In our overly sexualized society, the moral pendulum can sometimes swing to the other side until we wrongly treat sex as something that is to be shunned or ashamed of. God create...

In our last episode, Solomon’s brother Adonijah tried to take the throne while David was on his death bed. His plan failed, and Solomon successfully ascended to the throne. During the attempted coup, Adonijah recruited Abiathar the priest and Joab, David’s former commander. Since then, Adonijah has been executed, Abiathar has been banished, and today. Joab will be executed. Later, the Lord appears...

Today we’ll be reading about the death of King David from two sources. The first will be from 1 Chronicles as we conclude that book. In this reading, we’ll hear a prayer that David gives in the assembly of the leaders of Israel, followed by a brief account of Solomon coming to power as king. Our second reading will be from 1 Kings, which gives a much more dramatic perspective on what took place du...

As the book of 1 Chronicles comes to a close we’re given a look at an assembly of all the leaders of Israel. In this gather, David gives glory to God for his many blessings, and charges Solomon to build the Lord’s temple. In so doing, he also makes it clear that, of his many sons, Solomon is to become king, appointed by the Lord God Himself. He passes the plans for the temple on to Solomon and dec...

As David prepares to pass the crown to his son Solomon, his heart and mind continue to be fixed on God’s glory, particularly through the building of the temple and structuring it properly. David has spent years of his life amassing materials for it’s construction, and not only that, he has also drawn up architectural plans, built instruments, and created systems for all who work in and around the...

In his latter days, David charges his son Solomon to build the temple for the worship of God, and this is when we learn a few pieces of new information. First, we learn that the Lord did not allow David to build the temple because his hands had shed so much blood and because he had waged great wars. We also realize that David looked forward to the building of the temple even though he himself coul...

Now that the account of King David has essentially come to a close, the author recording the account is looking back on David’s life to record some of the events that happened during David’s lifetime that were not included in the chronological story line. These accounts include the execution of members of Saul’s family and battles against the giant descendants of Goliath, both of which were covere...

In a foreshadow of coming division, a man named Sheba divides the rest of Israel from Judah, and David sends Amasa to gather troops. Remember, David has just been reinstated as king after his son Absalom turned against him to take the throne for himself. During that period, Absalom appointed Amasa as the new leader of his army, a position once held by Joab. Joab is the man who killed David’s son A...

David’s son Absalom is a handsome young man who has won the hearts of Israel by deception, telling them that King David had no time for them but he would grant justice if only he were in charge. Absalom devises a coup to overthrow David, but his father catches wind of his plot and flees before he arrives. Today, David’s men prepare for battle and meet the forces of Absalom’s Israelite troops. He “...

After killing his brother at a family dinner, Absalom fled to another country, and was only brought back after Joab convinced David to do so by way of a theatric analogy. Today, Absalom begins a plan to win the hearts of the people and turn Israel against his father, the king. Learning of this impending insurrection, David flees Jerusalem with all of his people, save a handle of men who serve as s...

Today’s reading includes an account of sexual violence, so listener discretion is advised. The sexual sin that began in David’s heart and was executed in front of his household is now spreading throughout his family, as his sons begin to use their own power to satisfy their own lust and perversity. David’s son Amnon lusts after Tamar, his own half-sister, and plots to rape her at the encouragement...

Throughout the Old Testament, we meet men of varying backgrounds who set out to obey the Lord and deliver God’s people. Time and again, God’s people rejoice and revel in their hero, but inevitably, these men fall and are shown to be sinful. David is no exception. Luxury and boredom turn into lust, which turns into an abuse of power, then adultery, then deception, then second-hand murder. Though he...

In today’s readings, we’ll cover some of David’s military exploits. As he and his forces are victorious over their enemies, the reader is to understand that the Lord is with him in battle. The narrative thus far has established that David prioritizes the right worship of God. Much like the gospel accounts, we’ll read parallel narratives when we read portions from 2 Samuel and from 1 Chronicles, so...

As we are reading chronologically, there will be a number of passages that cover the same event or span from different perspectives. Today, we’ll read the account of the return of the ark that was covered in 1 Chronicles, followed by the Lord’s covenant with David from both accounts. After King David reestablishes the tabernacle, he returns to his own home, a palace made of cedar, and thinks “Why...

Now that David is king, he intends to reinstitute the proper worship of God at his tabernacle, which means that the ark of the covenant needs to be retrieved. When the ark almost falls in transit, one man reaches out to grab it, which is not permissible by God’s law. The Lord strikes him dead, which both angers and terrifies David. Scared to bring it to Jerusalem, he leaves it in Gath. After stayi...

In our reading from 1 Chronicles, David is established as king, and the author takes his coronation as an opportunity to chronicle the exploits of David’s men who had been with him in the wilderness, and who continued with him in his new kingdom. Now that David has been recognized as king, it’s time for him to begin to establish his kingdom. In 2 Samuel 5, David consults the Lord before he goes in...

We’re still working through a list of names, but thankfully things get a little more interesting this week as the lists are broken up by historical accounts and records of what people did and when. Part of our reading covers the genealogies following the exile, which, admittedly, doesn’t fall within the chronological timeline, but that’s not our aim. Remember, we began 1 Chronicles with Adam, Seth...

We’re reading through the genealogies handed down over the centuries that trace God’s people from Adam & Eve all the way through the exile to Babylon. Remember that each name represents a lifetime and a family: real people with real lives who either trusted in the Lord or who were stiff-necked and rebelled against the Lord. One day you and I may just be names on a list to those who come after us,...

Wait, weren’t we just in 2 Samuel? YES! This is where we’ll start alternating back and forth between Old Testament history books as we seek to read chronologically. We won’t be aligning historical events verse by verse, but we will be trying to align chapters so that the overall historical context is understood. That means we’re going to spend some time in 1 Chronicles as well as 2 Samuel for a bi...

In our last episode, we covered the aftermath of King Saul’s death, including a scramble for power and position by Abner, the commander of Israel’s army. After losing a battle against David’s men, Abner fled on foot and was chased down by Asahel. Abner killed Asahel, but escaped to live another day. Today, Asahel’s brother Joab seeks revenge against Abner, but he does so without David’s approval....

After Saul’s death, an Amalekite man comes to David claiming that he is the one who killed Saul, thinking he will be rewarded for his deed since Saul pursued David for so long. To say that David is displeased with this report, however, is an understatement. After a period of mourning for the house of Saul, David is anointed king in Judah, but Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, has other plans. H...

When we last left King Saul, he had consulted a medium when he didn’t hear from the Lord, where he learns that he and sons will die the following day. David almost joins the Philistine forces in the impending war against Saul, but the commanders don’t trust David like King Achish does. Returning to their settlement at Ziklag, they find their territory decimated and their families taken captive. Af...

Today, Saul sets his sights on David once more, bringing three thousand men with him, but David again has compassion on him. David and his men defect from Israel and escape to Philistine territory, where Achish, the king of the Philistines gives David the city of Ziklag. Later, as Saul faces the Philistine armies, he becomes fearful and tries to consult the Lord, but God does not respond. Being mo...

At every turn, it seems that Saul is hot on David’s trail until, at long last, he unwittingly happens upon the cave where David is hiding. Saul doesn’t realize, however, that David and his men are there. Saul ventures away from his troops and enters the cave to relieve himself. David takes advantage of this opportunity, but not in the way you might expect from someone who is being hunted down by t...