Read To Me Daily Semester 3Намуна

2SAMUEL 22:
As we open to 2nd Samuel 22, we are coming to the end of David’s story. God gave him victory over Sheba and the house of Saul. The killing of seven of the descendants of Saul to us seems harsh and past the ‘statute of limitations’. But remember that God arranged that revenge in response to untold injustices that were wreaked by Saul against the Gibeonites. So let’s note this: God takes notice of covenants we make and wants us to do what we promise in His name. 

David’s song of praise in today’s chapter includes ideas from the Psalms, but does not seem to be an extended quote from any of them, as far as I can find in my sources. Because of this long poetic section today, we skip a day reading from the Psalms.

JOHN 3:
John’s Gospel is unique in having the story of the wedding at Cana, which we heard yesterday in chapter 2. The coming to Galilee and working a miracle there seems to have been significant for John, as he later highlights when this happens a second time. John moved the story of the cleansing of the temple to the beginning of his Gospel. I think that this is because he wanted highlight the conflicts between Jesus and ‘the Jews’ (or, the Jewish leaders). Note that in verse 19, Jesus doesn't say, “I will destroy...” but “Destroy” (imperative), as a challenge to the Jewish leaders. NET's has a footnote which indicates that this expression of Jesus is a form that is reminiscent of some expressions of the prophets.

Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, we praise You for your answer to the Jewish leaders in John chapter 2 where You referred to your body as ‘this temple’. As we will read in Hebrews, we enter into the Holy Place through the curtain, which is your own body. So we rejoice to say with the Psalmist, “Open to me the gates of the Temple; I will go in and give thanks to the Lord! This is the gate of the Lord; only the righteous can come in.” And in John’s Gospel You will tell us that you are the gate (or the door) for the sheep. You say, “All who come in by me will be saved.” (Jn. 10:9) Yes Lord, we are are your sheep who enter, and in doing so we are put right with God through You. Again, we give You thanks with all our hearts. You are our temple, our gate, and the most important Cornerstone, or the capstone of the arch. You Lord are the stone which the builders rejected as worthless. But the Lord God— your Father, has made You the most important stone of all. How wonderful and precious this is in our sight! So therefore, “This is the day of the Lord’s victory.” We will be happy and rejoice today, because we are living in union with You.