April 30, 2018: SOAP #3070: 2Samuel 6; 1Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17

Scripture:  2Samuel (NIV) 6:6 Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so that they could go on their way?

Observation:    In reading the above verse by itself, one might think that this was one of Israel’s prophets speaking to the Israelites.  But, no!  It was a priest, probably of the Philistine god, Dagon.  It had been years, and it was not their personal history, but they still remembered how God destroyed Egypt with the ten plagues to deliver Israel!

From earlier verses, we see the Philistines had gone to their religious people to get some advice as to dealing with the ark they had captured and the trouble it brought to their cities.  The pagan priests remembered what had happened to Egypt; they must do something and do it quickly. They did not want to re-learn the lessons they could learn by the example of others, especially the bad ones!

Application:  It is amazing to me when non-believers have more faith than the believers!   Sometimes they more quickly recall what God has done in the past than God’s people.

I need to remember that “Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.”  (Hebrews 13:8) What He has done for me in the past, He is able to do now!

Prayer:    Holy Spirit, may my meditation and praise keep your blessings current in my heart and mind.  May I make choices today with the confidence that you will do it again!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!