Monthly Home Bible Study

The Reverend Ronald F. Marshall

Along with our other regular study of Scripture, let us join as a congregation in this home study. We will study alone than talk informally about the assigned verses together as we have opportunity. In this way we can "gather together around the Word" even though physically we will not be getting together (Acts 13.44).

 We need to support each other in this difficult project. In 1851 Kierkegaard wrote that the Bible is "an extremely dangerous book.... [because] it is an imperious book... – it takes the whole man and may suddenly and radically change... life on a prodigious scale" (For Self-Examination). And in 1967 Thomas Merton wrote that "we all instinctively know that it is dangerous to become involved in the Bible" (Opening the Bible). Indeed this word "kills" us (Hosea 6.5) because we are "a rebellious people" (Isaiah 30.9)! As Lutherans, however, we are still to "abide in the womb of the Word" (Luther's Works 17.93) by constantly "ruminating on the Word" (LW 30.219) so that we may "become like the Word" (LW 29.155) by thinking "in the way Scripture does" (LW 25.261). Before you study, then, pray: "Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in Our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen" (quoted in R. F. Marshall, Making A New World: How Lutherans Read the Bible, 2003, p. 12).

Along with our other regular study of Scripture, let us join as a congregation in this home study. We will study alone than talk informally about the assigned verses together as we have opportunity. In this way we can "gather together around the Word" even though physically we will not be getting together (Acts 13.44).

We need to support each other in this difficult project. In 1851 Kierkegaard wrote that the Bible is "an extremely dangerous book.... [because] it is an imperious book... – it takes the whole man and may suddenly and radically change... life on a prodigious scale" (For Self-Examination). And in 1967 Thomas Merton wrote that "we all instinctively know that it is dangerous to become involved in the Bible" (Opening the Bible). Indeed this word "kills" us (Hosea 6.5) because we are "a rebellious people" (Isaiah 30.9)! As Lutherans, however, we are still to "abide in the womb of the Word" (Luther's Works 17.93) by constantly "ruminating on the Word" (LW 30.219) so that we may "become like the Word" (LW 29.155) by thinking "in the way Scripture does" (LW 25.261). Before you study, then, pray: "Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in Our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen" (quoted in R. F. Marshall, Making A New World: How Lutherans Read the Bible, 2003, p. 12).

 

Ezekiel 7.9

January 2010, Number 203

Week I. Read Ezekiel 7.9 noting the word smite. What does smite mean? On this read Exodus 12.12-13 noting the correlation between the words smite, destroy and blood. Smiting therefore means killing. What examples do we have of God killing people? On this read Genesis 6.7 and 7.23 noting the words blot out and blotted out. Read also Exodus 14.26-28 noting the words waters, back, upon, routed, covered and remained. Read as well Judges 15.14-15 noting the two lines the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and with the jawbone of an ass he slew a thousand men. And for one last example, read Acts 12.20-23, noting the line an angel of the Lord smote him. What other means, besides flood and war, does God use to kill or smite people? On this read Numbers 16.28-35 noting the words common, if, creates, new, ground, opens, swallowed, consumed and two hundred and fifty men. For God’s strangest weapon of destruction, read Deuteronomy 7.20 noting the words send, hornets and destroyed. Were their enemies stung to death?

Week II. Read again Ezekiel 7.9 noting the same word smite. Why does God kill people in these various ways? On this read Isaiah 13.9 noting the correlation between the words destroy and sinners. Why do sinners need to be destroyed? On this read Ecclesiastes 9.18 noting the correlation between the word sinner and the line destroys much good. So destruction is needed in order to preserve the good. Read also Deuteronomy 20.16-18 noting the words utterly, destroy, teach, abominable, and sin. Only destruction, then, can keep sin from spreading – since believers are so easily recruited by bad examples. For an additional reason for such killing, read Ezekiel 5.13 noting the correlation between the word pairs vent and anger, spend and satisfy. How does such killing satisfy God? On this read Isaiah 61.8 noting the words love, justice, hate, wrong, faithfully and recompense. Why is God so diligent or faithful in his recompense or punishment and killing? Shouldn’t he cut us a little slack? No, and the reason for this is because he loves justice – and justice requires that what is wrong be punished without any exceptions.

Week III. Reread Ezekiel 7.9 noting again the word smite. Do we have any protection against such punitive killing? On this read Leviticus 26.40-45 noting the words if, confess, and amends, as well as remember, not and destroy. According to this passage, our good behavior prompts God to compassion and reprieve which protects us from his anger and destruction. Read also Hosea 11.1-9 noting the words loved, called, more, idols, not, know, refused, devour, bent, my, heart, recoils, compassion, grows and execute. What sort of protection is this? The key is in the word recoils which means destroy – as it does in Genesis 19.24-25 where it is translated as overthrew. Therefore God protects us from himself by inflicting his wrath on himself or on his own heart. He cannot cancel his anger without it being spent somewhere. So rather than blasting us with it, he absorbs it himself, in his own heart – which makes it recoil, as Hosea says. Is this a good approach to the problem?

Week IV. Read Ezekiel 7.9 one last time noting again the same word smite. Does this still go on today? On this read Luke 13.3 noting the words repent and perish. According to this verse we’ll perish, or be destroyed, if we don’t repent. On this same point read Matthew 3.12 noting the contrast between gather and burn. This burning is in reference to the fires of hell, as in 2 Peter 3.7 and Revelation 21.8. For another sort of killing, see Acts 2.23 noting the words God, plan, kill and Jesus. Here God’s anger is directed against himself in the body of his only begotten son, Christ Jesus. On this read Isaiah 53.10-11 noting the words will, Lord, bruise, grief, offering, sin, see, travail, satisfied, righteous, bear and iniquities. On this same point read 2 Corinthians 8.9 noting the play between the words rich and poor, realizing that poor means killed. Is this shift of violence onto Jesus an advance? If so, how so?

    

Acts 5.39

February 2010, Number 204

Week I. Read Acts 5.39 noting the line you will not be able. What is it that they were wanting to be able to do? On this read Acts 5.33 noting the words enraged and kill. Why were they so mad that they wanted to kill their adversaries? On this read Ecclesiastes 9.18 noting the words destroys and good. If that is so, why shouldn’t they go ahead and kill those who are doing so much damaged? On this read 1 Corinthians 13.12 noting the words dimly and part. Does this mean that we should refrain from executing those who are bad just because we might be wrong about them? On this read Romans 12.19 noting the words never, leave and repay. So is another reason for this prohibition that such violent punishment is not within our realm of responsibility? On this read Matthew 4.6-7 noting the words throw and tempt. Does this mean that our efforts at punishing the wicked might boomerang on us and harm us – and thereby only be reckless endangerment of ourselves? Are these three reasons for showing restraint enough to convince you?

Week II. Read again Acts 5.39 noting the same line you will not be able. So if conflict avoidance is the best way to proceed, how shall we rise above our anger and plans for retaliation? On this read Galatians 5.23 noting the word self-control. How does self-control work? On this read Colossians 3.2 noting the words set, mind and above. How is this difficult task of setting one’s mind achieved? On this read Colossians 3.16 noting the words word, dwell, richly, admonish, sing and thankfulness. How does this work? On this read 2 Corinthians 5.17 noting the category of new creation. What is this like? On this read Colossians 3.9-10 noting the play between old nature and new nature. Note as well the lines contrary to nature in Romans 11.24 and by nature children of wrath in Ephesians 2.3. Read as well 2 Corinthians 3.18 noting the word changed. So self-control begins with a new nature – and isn’t primarily about fighting back our old corruption. Does that help you understand self-control? Why or why not?

Week III. Reread Acts 5.39 noting this time the category of God. But what if this isn’t the case – as with Theudas and Judas the Galilean in Acts 5.36-37? What then? On this read Acts 12.23 noting the words smote and eaten. Who did this smiting and sending of the man-eating worms? We’re told in that same verse that it was the Lord God Almighty. So is there any fear that those who are not of God will get off scot free? On this read John 16.20 noting the line the world will rejoice. What does this mean? Could it be that in the short run the ungodly will get away with murder? But read also Luke 16.19-31 noting the line the place of torment. This, however, only happens after the wicked die. Does that mean, then, that it doesn’t help us with our problem? Don’t forget also, in this regard, Luke 13.4 and the tower of Siloam – which looks like short term retribution. Does this verse paint a better picture? If so, how so?

Week IV. Read Acts 5.39 one last time noting again the same category of God. Think this time about what happens if they are not wicked – and truly of God, although we imagined them not to be in the beginning? On this read Matthew 7.12 noting the parallel phrases to you and to them. According to this verse, if our adversaries are truly on God’s side and we have kept ourselves from attacking them, then we will have acted as we would have wanted to be treated ourselves. From this we learn to wait and not be hasty – lest we act on insufficient and misleading evidence. Another way to head-off such a grievous mistake would be to look for corroboration from others. On this read Matthew 18.16 noting the word confirmed. Note also Philippians 2.3 and the line count others better than yourselves. What more would we need to do?

Daniel 8.27

May 2009, Number 195  

Week I. Read Daniel 8.27 noting the words sick and appalled. What’s going on here? On this read Genesis 32.25-31 noting the words wrestled, out, joint, thigh, striven and limping. Is the point here that when we have a close encounter with God we come away with bruises? On this read Jeremiah 15.17 noting the words merrymakers, alone and indignation. So God changes us when draw near to him. Why is this? On this read Hosea 11.9 noting the contrast between being God and man, holy and ordinary. So when these contrasts merge, something has to give. The only movement possible is for us to move away from the ordinary and closer to the holy. Because this conflicts with our nature, it’s disruptive. On this read Acts 14.22 noting the phrase through many tribulations. Read also Luke 16.16 noting the line every one enters... the kingdom of God... violently. This violence is at least psychological disruption. On this see 2 Timothy 3.2-5 noting the shift from lovers of self to lovers of God, from lovers of pleasure to lovers of God. Is that shift uncomfortable? painful? frightening? sorrowful? If so, why is that?

Week II. Read again Daniel 8.27 noting the line went about the king’s business. Is this too benign? Shouldn’t he have tried to stop the coming calamity? Why does he take up business as usual? On this read Jeremiah 29.7 noting the line seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile. They are not to rebel or to try to escape or overthrow Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. They instead are to put up with their oppression and take their medicine. Why is this? On this read Matthew 10.29 noting the line not one sparrow will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. Read also Hebrews 2.8 noting the line everything [is] in subjection under his feet. Read Ephesians 1.22 for a similar line. What does this tell us when bad things happen to us? On this read Job 2.10 noting the rhetorical question, Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? For a similar line read Job 1.21 noting the words taken and blessed. Does this mean that we shouldn’t try to second-guess God? On this read Job 42.3 noting the line I have uttered what I did not understand. And what was that? On this read Revelation 3.19 noting the connection between love and reprove, and Romans 5.3 noting the similar connection between suffering and rejoicing. What do these unlikely juxtapositions show?

Week III. Reread Daniel 8.27 noting the word understand. What was it that he didn’t understand? He knew that calamity was on its way as a punishment from God for their bad behavior. What was unclear about this? On this read Daniel 9.12 noting the words confirmed, against and done. Was it that Daniel could not understand how a loving God could be against his own people? On this read Hosea 13.4-10 noting the words savior, fed, full, forgot, tear, rend, destroy, save and defend. So while God is kind and helpful, he reaches his limit and strikes back. Why is this? On this read Psalm 99.9 noting the words extol, worship, mountain and holy. What if God’s holiness is trampled on instead? What then? On this read Ezekiel 8.3-6 noting the words jealousy, glory, God, abominations, drive and sanctuary. Does God withdraw in order to preserve his glory? Why should he? 

Week I. Read John 15.15 noting the words all, Father and known. Does this mean there’s no mystery left in God? Do we know all that can be known about God? On this read John 20.31 noting the line but these are written that you may believe. So do we know all that we need to know for our salvation and nothing more? Is there still some divine mystery left unknown to us? On this read John 3.8 noting the line but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes. Why is this? On this read 1 Timothy 6.16 noting the words unapproachable, no and seen. So while God makes himself known to us, he doesn’t turn himself inside-out to us. The fullness of his existence he holds in reverse while revealing enough of his thoughts that we might be saved. On this point read Deuteronomy 29.29 noting the contrast between the words secret and revealed. How do we know which is which? On this read Romans 1.20 noting the words power, clearly, perceived, made and excuse, and Romans 10.17 noting the words faith, comes, preaching and Christ. Do these two verse adequately distinguish the secret from the revealed? How so?

Week II. Read again John 15.15 noting the word friends. What makes us friends with Jesus? On this read John 15.14 noting the qualifying clause if you do what I command you. What does this involve? On this read John 6.28-29 noting the words doing, works, believe and sent. So are the friends of Jesus those who believe in him? On this read John 10.26-27 noting the words believe, belong, sheep, hear and follow. Are these sheep the friends of Jesus? On this read John 21.17 noting the words my and sheep. What does it mean for these sheep to believe in Jesus? On this read John 12.46 noting the link between the words believe and darkness. What is the darkness like? On this read John 12.35 noting the line he who walks in darkness does not know where he goes. Where are we supposed to be going? On this read John 8.12 noting the words follow and walk and John 1.4 noting the line and the life was the light of man. On this life read John 5.26 noting the category life in himself. What is this life like? On this read John 10.10 noting the word abundant, and John 17.3 noting the word eternal. How is this life acquired? On this read John 12.25 noting the word hate. What does this mean? On this read John 12.43 noting the conflict between the terms praise of God and praise of men. When we hate ourselves properly we put praise of God over praise of men. Is this where we are supposed to be headed? Why?

Week III. Reread John 15.15 noting the word all again. What was it that Jesus passed on to us from his heavenly Father? On this read John 1.1 that the Word was God. Why is this important to know? On this read John 14.6 noting the line comes to the Father. So if the word is God, then we have access to God through the word – whereas before, according to John 1.17, there was no such grace. What else is passed on? On this read John 1.29 that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Why is this important? On this read John 19.30 noting the line it is finished. How does the Lamb of God bring about this end? On this read John 11.50 and 18.14 noting the line die for the people. Is this because we cannot take away our own sins? Is this because someone else has to be punished for us? Why?

Week IV. Read John 15.15 one last time noting again the word all. What else did Jesus pass along from his heavenly Father? On this read John 3.19 noting the line loved the darkness. Why is this important? On this read John 6.44 noting the words no, come, unless, draws and Father. Why is that? Is it because we love the darkness? Are we not free to believe in Christ? On this read John 8.34 noting the word slave. On this matter read also John 9.39 noting the contrasting words see and blind. Why should any of us be blinded? Are we distracted by what we see? On this read John 6.26 noting the words saw and ate. What is the distraction here? On this read the next verse noting the line food which perishes in contrast to the food which endures to eternal life. What else is passed on to us? Read John 15.19 noting the words of, out, and hate. Why is this important? It explains John 16.20 and 33. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Psalm 72.15

July 2009, Number 197

Week I. Read Psalm 72.15 noting the line long may he live. Why should we wish for the king to have a long life – or for anyone, for that matter? What does sheer longevity bring? On this read Psalm 128.6 noting the line may you see your children’s children. Is that it? Do we want to live a long time so we can see our offspring? But what if they turn out to be horrible? Is there any advantage to longevity then? On this read 2 Samuel 18.32-33 noting the lament for Absalom. How does it end? Note that David in his grief over his wayward son’s death, cries out, Would I had died instead of you. Read also about Eli’s grief over the death of his two wayward sons in 1 Samuel 4.17-18 noting the complication between the words sons and ark. Who or what was he really grieving over? And read about Jephthah’s grief in Judges 11.35 over the innocent death of his exemplary daughter – given the name Seila by legend. Finally read about Naomi’s grief over the death of her two wonderful sons in Ruth 1.4-5, 20-21, noting her name change from Naomi to Mara. So what do these verses tell us about children making long life worthwhile?

Week II. Read again Psalm 72.15 noting the same line long may he live. If children don’t guarantee that a long life would be good, would anything else? On this read Genesis 1.31 noting the phrase it was very good. Would this suggest, then, that a long life is good because life itself is good and so the more you have of it the better it would be? Can the very goodness of life itself somehow keep Rebekah from growing weary of it in Genesis 27.46? On this read Deuteronomy 30.15-18 noting the words life, good, obey and long. Would this reading suggest that life is in and of itself is good, or only so when it is spent in obedience to God? Read also Ezekiel 20.18-26 noting the words observe, hallow, rebelled, profaned, scatter, rejected, defiled and horrify. So is goodness added to life rather than belonging to it intrinsically? On this read Psalm 103.5 noting the line satisfies you with good. So is life inherently wretched? On this read Job 14.1 noting the phrase full of trouble and Romans 7.24 noting the word wretched. What do you think?

Week III. Reread Psalm 72.15 noting again the line long may he live. Is there any other reason for living a long life? On this read Psalm 22.3 noting the words enthroned and praises. Should we then want to love as long as possible in order to praise God on earth as long as possible? Is that why we’re here? On this read Isaiah 43.21 noting the words formed, that and praise. Would this reason hold regardless of how miserable life is? On this read Ephesians 5.20 noting the words always and thanks, and 1 Thessalonians 5.18 noting the words all and thanks. If praise and worship hinge on offering up thanks to God, then maybe the reason would hold regardless of how bad life is. What do you think? Do you suppose that worship is too boring and insignificant to be able to sustain an entire life on earth?

Week IV. Read Psalm 72.15 one last time noting again the line long may he live. But what about helping others? Should we live as long as we can in order to be of as much help to others as possible? On this read Philippians 1.23-24 noting the words better and necessary. What is the basis for this judgment? On this read Galatians 6.2 noting the words bear and fulfill, and Luke 10.37 noting the words do and likewise. Read also Luke 10.27 noting the words love and neighbor. On the matter of evangelism, read 2 Corinthians 5.20 noting the words ambassadors, appeal, through and us. Finally read 1 John 4.21 noting the words love and brother, and James 5.14-20 noting the words sick, pray, anointing, rain, fruit, wanders, brings, back, save and cover. Wouldn’t it take a long life to accomplish all of this? Nevertheless, read Psalm 121.2 noting the line my help comes from the Lord. Does this help explain why there is no longing for a long life in the New Testament? What do you think?   

John 20.31

August 2009, Number 198

Week I. Read John 20.31 noting the word Christ. How is he the bringer of this new life? On this read John 3.16 noting the words gave, only, perish, eternal and life. Where did he come from? On this read John 3.13 noting the words descended and heaven, as well as John 1.1-3, 14 noting the words beginning, made, became, flesh and only. How does this origin make him capable of saving us? On this read John 5.26 noting the line life in himself. What does this mean? On this read John 11.25 noting the line I am the resurrection and the life. What makes him so? On this read John 1.29 noting the line takes away the sin of the world. How does he do that? On this read John 12.23-24 noting the words hour, glorified, dies, alone and fruit. How does his death on the cross do that? On this read John 10.17 noting the words Father and loves and the same words in John 14.23. How does this love spring up in God the Father because Jesus dies on the cross? On this read John 10.30 noting the line it is finished. What ends when Jesus dies? On this read John 3.36 noting the word wrath. Why is it important to avoid that wrath? On this read John 5.28-29 noting the contrast between good and evil, life and judgment. What do you think of that?

Week II. Read again John 20.31 noting the words believe, believing and life. How does believing in Christ give us this life free from the wrath God? On this read John 6.28 noting the words work, God and believe. How is belief able to do this? On this read John 10.26 noting the word belong. How does belief make us belong to Christ? On this read John 8.24 noting the words sin, die and believe. How does sin keep us from belonging to Christ? On this read John 8.34 noting the words sin and slave. How does sin enslave us? On this read John 9.39 noting the contrasting words see and blind. How does sin blind us? On this read John 9.41 noting the word guilt. But how does guilt blind us? On this read 1 John 3.4 noting the word lawlessness. And how does this lawlessness blind us? On this read John 1.17 noting the contrasting words law and grace. And without grace we are hopeless. On this judgment see John 16.8. In contrast see the victory in 1 John 5.4-5. Is this a hopeful situation? How so?

Week III. Reread John 20.31 noting again the word believe. If faith brings us the victory over the blindness of sin, how do we move from unbelief to belief? First, what is it that stands in our way to faith? On this read John 5.44 noting the word glory, 5.46-47 noting the words Moses and writings, 7.5 noting the word brothers (which denotes Judaism and religious familiarity). Read also John 11.47-48 noting the word signs or miracles (see also 4.48, 6.30, 36, 12.37), 12.42-43 noting the word praise, 17.20-21 noting the word one, 19.35 noting the words witness and truth, and 20.29 noting the word see. What do all these obstacles to faith tell us about it? Does it say that it is highly unstable and difficult? Is that why it has so many obstacles? The Lutheran Confessions (1529-1580) say that “faith is not an easy thing, as our opponents imagine” (Tappert, p. 143). Do you agree?

Week IV. Read John 20.31 one last time noting again the word believe. Given these obstacles to faith, what chance do we have to believe at all? On this read John 6.44 noting the words unless, Father and draws. How does the Father do this? On this read John 3.3 noting the words born and anew. What is this new birth like? On this read John 3.5 noting the words water and Spirit. What are these two words about? On this read John 1.33-34 noting the words baptize and Holy Spirit. On this baptism, see John 13.8-10 noting the words part, bathed and clean. How does baptism cleanse us? On this read John 5.14 and 8.10-11 about confessing one’s sin and sinning no more. And on the Holy Spirit, read John 3.8 noting the line where it wills,… but you do not know whence it comes and whither it goes. On this unpredictability, read John 15.5 noting the words apart and nothing. Where does that leave us?

1 Samuel 25.37-38

September 2009, Number 199

Week I. Read 1 Samuel 25.37-38 noting the name Nabal. Who was Nabal? On this read 1 Samuel 25.2-3 noting the words Maon, rich, churlish, ill-behaved and Calebite. Read also 1 Samuel 25.25 noting the words folly and fool (in the footnote). How was Nabal so rich if he was a fool? On this read 1 Samuel 25.3 noting the words Abigail, good and understanding. Do you suppose Abigail was the silent partner behind Nabal’s wealth? On this read Proverbs 31.16-27 noting the words considers, field, buys, profitable, sells, merchant, wisdom and idleness. Was Abigail such a wife? And who were the Calebites? On this read Numbers 34.19 noting the words Caleb, tribe and Judah. Why was Caleb allowed into the prominent tribe of Judah? On this read Numbers 14.24 noting the line he has a different spirit and has followed me fully. Does Nabal live up to his family heritage? Why doesn’t he? On this read Luke 12.16-21 noting the words rich and fool. How does being rich turn one into a fool? On this Deuteronomy 8.17-20 noting the words beware, my, hand, wealth, forget and perish. So did God smite Nabal because he was a rich fool?

Week II. Read again 1 Samuel 25:37-38 noting the line ten days later the Lord smote Nabal; and he died. Why did God do that? On this read 1 Samuel 25.4-11 noting the words heard, peace, with, us, no, harm, favor, give, not and know. So because Nabal, with his great wealth, did not reward David’s men for keeping Nabal’s workers safe, God killed him. What is the lesson in this? Nabal hadn’t contracted with David’s men to provide protection for his workers, so why should he be expected to reward them? Did God punish him unjustly? On this read Matthew 20.15 noting the words begrudge and generosity and Ephesians 4.32 noting the words kind and as. So even though no contract had been signed, Nabal was still expected to show kindness and generosity for the protection rendered – and not return evil for good as 1 Samuel 25.21 puts it. This is because we are to follow God’s way of generosity, which is abounding, as Exodus 34. 6 puts it. Do you agree?

Week III. Reread 1 Samuel 25:37-38 noting the word wife. Why does Nabal’s wife, Abigail, help God kill him? On this read 1 Samuel 25.17 noting the line against all his house. What is the point here? Was Abigail trying to protect the innocent? How did she do that? On this read 1 Samuel 25.18-31 noting the words haste, took, laid, assess, not, tell, bowed, present, forgive, sure, care, conscience and remember. By so doing, Abigail treats David the way Nabal should have in the first place. These gifts and respect kept David from retaliating against Nabal’s workers. But a sacrifice also was needed. On this read 1 Samuel 25.26 noting the line let your enemies… be as Nabal, which means that he should be killed. Did this sway David? On this read 1 Samuel 25.35 noting the line I have granted your petition. So Abigail provides gifts and blood-revenge and saves all of the innocent workers of Nabal. Was it worth sacrificing one life for many? On this read John 11:50 noting the word expedient. Is this a good principle?

Week IV. Read 1 Samuel 25.37-38 one last time noting the word morning. Why does Abigail wait for the morning before she attacks her husband? On this read Judges 11.37-38 noting the words let, bewail and go. Did Abigail show similar mercy to Nabal by allowing him one last fling before taking her vengeance out on him? While this puts her in good light, does it seem right that afterwards she becomes David’s wife? On this read 1 Samuel 25.39-42 noting the words when, dead, blessed, wooed, bowed, behold, haste and became. How do you size up this Biblical episode? On this read Isaiah 55.8-9 noting the words not, my and higher. Do you agree? Note also the word inscrutable in Romans 11.33. Because of the moral infractions in 1 Samuel 25, should we conclude that God also is immoral? What reasons would you have for doing so?

Acts 27.12

October 2009, Number 200

Week I. Read Acts 27.12 noting the word majority. Why is this mentioned? On this read Acts 27.11 noting the contrasting line paid more attention… than to what Paul said. What’s important is that Paul was right even though he was not in the majority. Read also Acts 27.21 noting the line you should have listened to me. Why should they have? On this read Acts 27.21 again, noting this time the words injury and loss. Was this what Paul initially feared? On this read Acts 27.10 noting the further phrase also of our lives. Was Paul wrong then? On this read Acts 27.22-25 noting the words no, loss, life, God and faith. What happened? Did God trump Paul’s prediction? Was it, then, not so much that Paul was wrong, but that he was surprised? On this read Jonah 3.9 noting the line who knows, God may yet… turn… so that we perish not. Are such odds ever based on majority assessments or do they always look more or less unlikely? On this read Judges 7.7 noting the number three hundred men and contrast it with Judges 6.5 noting the line coming like locusts for number. Where does that leave the believer in God?

Week II. Read again Acts 27.12 noting the same word majority. What does this mean for decision-making? On this read Ephesians 4.11-14 noting the contrasting words mature and children. If people are immature, can majorities be trusted? If we are inherently immature, should we be allowed to make weighty decisions? On this read Ephesians 2.1-3 noting the words dead, sins, world, disobedience, passions, wrath and mankind. What does this say about us? On this read Jeremiah 17.9 noting the words deceitful, all, corrupt and understand. Should people like that be trusted to make wise decisions? Does this mean we cannot be taken at our word? On this read Matthew 26.35 noting the words die and all, contrasting it with Matthew 26.56 noting the words all and fled. What happened in between those two verses? On this read 2 Thessalonians 2.7 noting the phrase the mystery of lawlessness. What is mysterious about lawlessness? It can’t be its origin since 2 Thessalonians 2.8-12 attributes that to Satan, God and our refusal to love the truth. So where’s the mystery? On this read John 3.19 noting the words loved and darkness. Would the mystery then be our motive for disobeying?

Week III. Reread Acts 27.12 noting that same word majority. How, then are we to become mature? On this read Colossians 3.1-17 noting the words seek, above, set, minds, died, hid, old, practices, renewed, chosen, love, let, rule, thankful, word, dwell, admonish and sing. If this imposing list were to be followed, then the majority could be trusted to make wise and faithful decisions. Are there any key words in this list? What if they were mind and thankful, admonish and sing? If so, then how we think about what’s worth giving thanks for would be all important. Also, the fact that we need to be admonished tells us that we also have a volitional problem that can’t be addressed intellectually – but requires a lifetime of singing faithful songs. On thankfulness read Ephesians 5.20 noting the line always and for everything, and on singing read Ephesians 5.18-19 noting the words drunk, debauchery, psalms and heart. Regarding thanksgiving, the offense of being thankful for our troubles is essential if we are to mature. And regarding singing, exuberance controlled by the words of the Psalms must replace all artificial, mind-altering substances that lead to drunkenness. Do you agree?

Week IV. Read Acts 27.12 one last time noting again that word majority. What shall we do in the meantime while we’re trying to build up a faithful majority? On this read Genesis 45.7 noting the words preserve and remnant, and Romans 11.5 noting the words remnant and grace. Can you live with a minority while waiting for a faithful majority to emerge? On this read Philippians 4.11 noting the word content. Is that a satisfying word for you?