Good morning! In today’s passage (1 Kings 6-7) we read about the building and outfitting of the temple that Solomon constructs in Jerusalem, as well as his palace-building projects. When reading these chapters, it helps to reflect on the similarities and differences with the construction of the tabernacle in Exodus. Solomon’s temple is more permanent than the tabernacle, but is less a manifestation of popular desire or divine inspiration.
Author: Oby Ballinger
1 Kings 4-5
Good morning! Today’s passage of 1 Kings 4-5 emphasizes again the prominence and worldwide appeal of Solomon’s reign (at least from a Hebrew perspective), then introduces the project Solomon undertakes, building the temple to God in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 1-3
Good morning! Today we begin the two-part book of First and Second Kings. 1 and 2 Samuel gave us the stories of Saul and David’s leadership, then 1 and 2 Kings takes up the narrative from there. In these two books we will read of David’s son Solomon in all his glory, the construction of the temple in Jerusalem, then the civil war that breaks Israel and Judah apart, followed by the military invasions by that swallow up each territory in turn. One other feature of this historic period is the rise of prophetic power—we’ll increasingly see the dynamic of prophets both advising and challenging their kings.
2 Samuel 23-24
Good morning! Today at the end of 2 Samuel we have three separate items that don’t really fit together; they’re a hodgepodge of different things from the era of David. Those in 2 Samuel 23 valorize David and celebrate the successes of his fighting men, but in chapter 24 we have a more puzzling story of a failure and David’s response to God’s judgment.
2 Samuel 21-22
Good morning! The passages for today (2 Samuel 21-22) and tomorrow record miscellaneous stories and poetry to finish out the books of Samuel. These chapters are less connected to the narrative that we have been following closely to this point, but all are reportedly from the time of David.
2 Samuel 18-20
Good morning! In today’s passage (2 Samuel 18-20) we consider questions of loyalty and its rewards, as we see David grieve the death of his enemy son, punish his loyal commander Joab by replacing him with an Absalom general, then show mercy to others who opposed him. We also see the fissures of division between northern Israel and southern Judah threaten civil war in the rebellion of another Israelite, Sheba.
I See You
Community United Church of Christ (St. Paul Park, Minnesota)
Scripture: Acts 3:1-10
Bryan Sirchio is a UCC minister turned traveling musician. He’s based in Wisconsin, which is where I first got to know him, at a UCC camp called Pilgrim Center. He was the Thursday night program each week all summer long for both years I was there, so I got to know his stories and songs well. One of my favorites is about a time when he was on one of his regular visits to Haiti. Sitting in a car stuck in traffic, he tried not to notice a little child, begging in the street. She had on a tattered yellow dress but showed bare feet, perhaps only 4-5 years old. “To be honest,” he sings, “I was hoping to drive right by
2 Samuel 15-17
Good morning! Yesterday we read the drama of Absalom’s banishment from Jerusalem for the revenge killing of David’s firstborn Amnon, and his eventual return to the king’s good graces. Today in 2 Samuel 15-17 we see the situation reversed. Abaslom rises to power and leads a coup that expels his father from the throne to the wilderness, where David must once again fight for survival as he did against Saul.
2 Samuel 13-14
Good morning! We have two linked stories today in 2 Samuel 13-14 that introduce us to King David’s son Absalom and lead us to consider the dynamics of vengeance (God-commanded) and mercy (God-modeled). We see David indulging the wrongdoing of one son, yet later forgiving and reuniting with another son who enacts cold revenge. One note before we go further: this reading contains a detailed description of rape which might be especially troubling to those who have been sexually abused.
2 Samuel 10-12
Good morning! Today in 2 Samuel 10-12 we see the “Achilles heel” of King David. Though a faithful person, a loyal leader and a skilled military commander, his desire for all the access that a king can demand leads him into adulterous trouble with Bathsheba, made worse by his attempt to hide his action. However, unlike Saul, when confronted David does not make excuses or try to rationalize his behavior. He takes his lumps then goes back to acting as king, but the ramifications of his action will be with his lineage for decades to come.
Pastor Oby Ballinger 