Week of April 17

Here are the readings for the week.  We are getting into David's  reign as king.  

Day 1     2 Samuel 1-4
Day 2     Psalms 6; 9; 10; 14; 16; 21
Day 3     1 Chronicles 1-2; Psalms 43-44  
Day 4     Psalms 49; 84; 85; 87
Day 5     1 Chronicles 3-5
Day 6     1 Chronicles 6; Psalms 36; 39; 77-7

Joab Murders Abner

Week of April 10

Day 1     Psalms 7; 27; 31; 34; 52
Day 2     Psalms 56; 120; 140-142
Day 3     1 Samuel 25-27; Psalms 17, 73
Day 4     Psalms 35; 54; 63; 18
Day 5     1 Samuel 28-31; Psalm 121; 1 Chronicles 10
Day 6     Psalms 123-125; 128-130

David Spares Saul

I misspoke in class today, thinking that we would be reading II Samuel. We're actually spending quite a bit of time in the Psalms this week.  These Psalms give us a unique look into the mind of David in that they allow us to see the intimate nature of the relationship between David and God.  Try to reconstruct David's mindset as you are reading these.  Does loving and depending on God mean that he never gets scared or distressed? Does loving God mean that David never wonders why certain things are happening to him?

Week of April 3

Day 1     1 Samuel 1-3  
Day 2     1 Samuel 4-8
Day 3     1 Samuel 9-12
Day 4     1 Samuel 13-16
Day 5     1 Samuel 17-20; Psalm 59
Day 6     1 Samuel 21-24; Psalm 91

   Samuel anoints Saul


As we have seen in this week's readings, Saul and David both had their flaws.  However, David tended to please God while Saul displeased Him.  What differences between these two men led to God's preference for David over Saul? Were they actions, attitudes, or both?

Week of March 27

Day 1  Judges 2-5

Day 2  Judges 6-9

Day 3  Judges 10-13

Day 4 Judges 14-18

Day 5  Judges 19-21

Day 6  Ruth 1-4





As we've discussed in class, Israel was prone to making the same mistakes over and over.  God would miraculously provide and protect, then Israel would forget, seemingly overnight, and start worshiping false gods, ignoring the real God, etc.  At times, I find myself thinking, "how stupid!" or "how could they do that?"  The fact is, I commit the same stupid sins over and over.  While I might not worship Baal or a golden calf, I can easily slip into spending too much time thinking about money or some other "idol" and spending too little in fellowship with God.  I suggest that we read through the history of Israel with a sympathetic heart.  Their failures on a national scale are similar to our failures as individuals.  Thankfully, we have a God that loves sinners, even repeat offenders like me.

Week of March 20

Here is the reading schedule for this week:
Day 1     Joshua 3-6 
Day 2     Joshua 7-10 
Day 3     Joshua 11-14 
Day 4     Joshua 15-18 
Day 5     Joshua 19-22 
Day 6     Joshua 23-24, Judges 1


Are you brave enough to take the Joshua quiz? Are you brave enough to post your score?
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz1588631231810.html

Week of March 13

Day 1     Deuteronomy 16-19

Day 2     Deuteronomy 20-23

Day 3     Deuteronomy 24-27

Day 4     Deuteronomy 28-30

Day 5     Deuteronomy 31-34

Day 6     Joshua 1-2; Psalm 105

     Moses Appoints Joshua

Here are the patterns in Deuteronomy that we discussed today.  Have a look! 
First it is set up in a concentric format. You can read each of these pairs as a continuous section. The purpose of this literary structure, which is called CHIASTIC, is to emphasize the center:

A. Looking backward – Chs 1 -3                     A’. Looking forward – Chs 31 – 34

    B. Great Exhortation – Chs 4 – 11    B’. Covenant Ceremony – Chs 27 – 30

           C. The Central Core – the stipulations of the Covenant Chs 12 - 26



Another feature of Deuteronomy is that it takes on the form of a Suzerainty Covenant, which is a common form of contract in the Near East at that time. The Suzerainty Covenant, in other cultures, was a contract between a suzerain and a vassal – basically between a more powerful and less powerful group. The people of Israel would have been familiar with this format and would have recognized its pattern in Deuteronomy.

1. Preamble – An introduction 1:1–5
2. Historical Prologue – A review of how they arrived at the situation 1:6–4:49
3. General Stipulations – Broader rules 5:1–11:32
4. Specific Stipulations – Specific Rules  12:1–26:19
5. Blessings and Curses – What happens if you obey/disobey 27:1–28:68
6. Document Clause – How the contract will be reviewed 31:9–29
7. Witnesses  32:1–47

Week of March 6

Day 1     Numbers 29-32
Day 2     Numbers 33-36
Day 3     Deuteronomy 1-3
Day 4     Deuteronomy 4-7
Day 5     Deuteronomy 8-11
Day 6     Deuteronomy 12-15



The Death of Moses