Old Testament reading: 2 Samuel 1-2
2 Samuel begins the difficult transition of the throne from the house of Saul to the house of David. In spite of the fact that Saul (now dead) had recognized David’s inevitable ascension to the throne, this transition was not without difficulty and bloodshed. From this we should learn that the will of God is not always accomplished with ease or lack of great difficulty. With Jonathan gone, I’m sure David would have loved to have had Samuel alongside him during this period as a confidant and source of advice. David would soon “get his Samuel” in the person of Nathan the prophet, another great man of God who was unafraid to rebuke a king. David’s loyalty and integrity are again on display as he executes the young Amalekite who brought him Saul’s crown and bracelet, claiming to have performed a “mercy killing” upon King Saul. We shall see more of the same from David in tomorrow’s reading. David never ceases to impress me. His life instructs me and serves as a pattern of behavior if I would also be a man after God’s own heart.
New Testament reading: Luke 2-3
Luke’s account contains a more complete lineage of Jesus in comparison to Matthew 1. In Luke 1:5, Elizabeth is called a daughter of Aaron, meaning she was of the tribe of Levi. In chapter 1:36, Mary receives word that “Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son.” The lineage of Luke 3 goes through Judah (v 33) and not Levi. So, there was a marriage along the way wherein an ancestor of Mary must have married into the tribe of Levi. The reason I find this interesting is because it requires Jesus to have some ties to both the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Levi. Judah was the tribe of royalty (Gen 49:10), and Levi was the priestly tribe. Like Melchizedeck (cf Heb 7:1), Jesus was both a king and priest.
(For a more detailed examination of the two genealogies see the following: https://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=6&article=932)
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