David brings the ark to Jerusalem for the first time and
sets it up in a tent which he had pitched for it to lodge in. He also blesses all the people and gives them
food for feasting. David's joy is so
great that he dances with abandon in the procession. Instead of royal purple and the robes of
office of king of the nation David chose the ephod, the garment worn by
non-priests who served the Lord. Think
of the twenty-four elders around the throne who, when the Lord appears, cast
down their crowns around the glassy sea in tribute to the true and only
king. David sees himself as only a
humble servant, not a king, when the ark is present. He dances with wild abandon such as would not
be considered fitting for a king per his wife, Saul's daughter Michal's
opinion. She rains all over the parade
as soon as David arrives at home yet David is more than willing to appear
abased in the presence of the Lord. The
leader of the people should be the leading worshipper. He owes everything to God and should be
willing to lose themselves in praise and worship of the Lord.
Nathanael is, at first, skeptical of the claim of Philip to
have found the Messiah when he further describes Him as "of
Nazareth." He, like so many others,
decides to form an opinion based on this one piece of information which is, in
fact, not entirely accurate. Jesus,
recall, was born in Bethlehem. Philip
gives the only possible response to skepticism, come and see for yourself. Nathanael, to his credit, takes up the offer,
is willing to at least see for himself what Philip has seen in this man,
Jesus. Jesus, it turns out, knows more
about Nathanael than he could imagine, He saw him sitting under the fig tree
and he is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit, unlike Jacob before God
gave him a new name, Israel. Nathanael's
words on hearing Jesus' knowledge are an incredible confession of belief. He was willing to take a chance and see for
himself and now, because he was an honest seeker, receives great
revelation. Our best offer to
non-believers is come and see, in essence, Pascal's wager.
Circumcision is the sign of a pre-existing covenant
relationship. Abraham was not given the
commandment to circumcise (Genesis 17) until after the covenant ceremony in
Genesis 15. Circumcision also comes
after Ishmael's birth. There is a
setting apart of the means of reproduction in the sign of circumcision, what
had once been sinfully used in the episode with Hagar and Ishmael, now becomes
an instrument used for covenantal purposes.
Other people groups practiced circumcision but in the case of the Jews
there is a completely different reason for the practice than hygiene or some
other reason. Paul's argument is that
the covenant isn't predicated on it, the predicate for covenant relationship
has always been faith. A true Israelite,
God's covenant people, is one who has faith in the only one who is truly
faithful, the Lord Himself.
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