Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 10 and Mark 10:1-31

2 Samuel 10 – Nahash’s (the Ammonite and David’s loyal friend) son Hanun succeeds him and David plans to remain loyal to him. But the Ammonite princes doubt David’s intent when he sends his messengers to meet with Hanun. They think he has sent them as spies.  As a result, Hanun seizes them and humiliates them by shaving off half their beards and cutting their garments.  David is furious. Realizing they are in for a fight, the Ammonites muster and alliance of men from the Arameans (20,000), from King Maacah (1,000), Tob (12,000). They take up position in David’s front and rear.  He puts his best men against the Arameans; the rest he gives to the command of his brother Abishai to go against the Ammonites. They agree to support each other in case of need.  First, the Arameans flee, and when the Ammonites see them, they too take off.

           

The Ammonites regroup. Hadadezer summons help from Ammonites beyond the Euphrates.  David gathers all Israel together and crosses the Jordan to Helam—due east of the Sea of Galilee. David defeats them.

Mark 10:1-31 – In the region of Judea, he again teaches the crowds.  The Pharisees ask him about divorce “to test him.” He tells them that the mosaic permission to divorce was given because of the “hardness of heart” they suffered from.  In a marriage as God intended it, the two become one and cannot be divided by anyone.

           

Another passage on Jesus and his love for children.  He will not have his disciples keep them from him.  At another time, setting out on a journey, a young man approaches him and asks him how he can inherit eternal life. He tells him the usual things—the law; but when he tells Jesus he does all these things it says, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’” (10:21).  The young man is “shocked” and goes away “grieving,” because he had many possessions.

           

This leads to a discourse on the barrier wealth creates to inheriting eternal life.  But Jesus reassures his alarmed disciples and says that even though it is difficult, nothing is impossible for God. And Peter asks how their own sacrifices will affect their futures.  Jesus reassures him that leaving things for Jesus’ sake will not cause one to lose anything really.  The blessings will be so much more than the loss—plus there will be eternal life “in the age to come” (10:30).