April

Already a quarter of the year is gone. If you are on schedule, you have read about a quarter of the Bible. You should find this month's Old Testament readings more interesting than they have been for the last month or two. The reason is that we have finished reading the material on the Law and are now returning to a story line.

The stories in the Old Testament are exciting. They cover the time from the Conquest of Canaan, through the period of the Judges of Israel, into the time of the first king, Saul. Joshua is the first book we will read. Moses' right-hand man and a successor leads the people across the Jordan to finally gain possession of the Promised Land. The unusual events at the fall of Jericho point up the fundamental emphasis of the entire story: It is God who is establishing Israel in the land; it is not the people themselves who are conquering Canaan. The conquest is predicated on the fact that Canaanite culture had reached such a low state, both morally and spiritually, that there was nothing for God to do but to root it out altogether in order to establish a people living according to the Lord's law and will.

As Judges makes clear, Canaanite culture was not actually overcome in one fell swoop. There was a constant temptation during this period for the people to fall into the patterns and practices of the Canaanites in their midst. A phrase that appears twice in the book describes the chaos and unrighteousness of the times rather well: "All the people did what was right in their own eyes" (17:6; 21:25). Notice that a cyclical pattern emerges as you read the book: Israel is unfaithful to God; God brings judgment upon the people; the people repent; God is merciful and raises up a leader to free them from their enemies; there is peace in the land once more. Then the cycle begins again.

The leaders God raises up are called judges. The two most famous are Gideon and Samson. Since Israel was a patriarchal culture, it is startling to read that one judge is Deborah, a woman. The story of another woman belongs to the period of Judges. The book of Ruth tells of a woman from Moab who adopts Israelite religion when she returns to Bethleham with her mother-in-law, Naomi. This is a beautiful glimpse of light in a very dark period of Israel's history, made more wonderful by the fact that Ruth is a non-Israelite. In a sense, this is an allusion early in the Old Testament to what is proclaimed in the book of Acts: God's grace extends beyond Israel to embrace the Gentiles equally in the covenant people.

First, Samuel gives us a look at the time of transition from judges, who arose spontaneously, to kings, who provide dynastic continuity in government. Samuel is a particularly interesting figure. As you read, note that he is a man of many talents - judge, priest, and prophet as well. Samuel anoints Israel's first king, Saul. By the time you finish this month's readings, you will have witnessed Saul, established as king, fall from grace and enter upon rivalry with his eventual successor, David. The backdrop of the story is always the Philistines, a physically larger and more powerful nation, who also possess the ability to make weapons of iron and are a constant military threat to Israel. In the face of Goliath - a visible picture of the Philistines - Israel's only hope is to trust that God will fight on their side. David believes in this hope; Saul does not.

In the New Testament, we will finish the book of Romans this month. Paul is a deep and difficult theologian to read. No matter how often you read his letters, you always have a strong sense that there are depths there that you cannot grasp. Nowhere is this more the case than in Rom. 9 - 11 where Paul tries to put into perspective the problem of God's covenant with the Jews and their rejection of Christ. The Gentiles, after all, are now participants in the covenant too. What, then, of Israel?

As you try to weave your way through these chapters, it may be of some comfort to know that scholars are not in agreement as to what Paul concludes. The problem is compounded by our knowledge of the multitude of injustices committed against Jews throughout much of Christian history. Keep in mind one thing here: As Paul struggles to deal with the issue, he never weakens his emphasis on the paramount importance of faith in Christ.

When we finish Romans, we will begin reading the Gospel of Mark. You will notice that it all sounds very similar to what we read in Matthew. Part of the reason is that Mark was probably the first Gospel to be written and, in all likelihood, Matthew made use of Mark as he wrote his Gospel. Matthew is especially concerned to report in detail what Jesus taught. The Sermon on the Mount is the most obvious example. In contrast, the predominant emphasis in mark is on what Jesus did.

Mark is an action-packed Gospel, telling us about the amazing and miraculous deeds that Jesus accomplished. Try to breathe in the air of excitement and marvel that Mark felt. You will find this Gospel revitalizing your own sense of awe and wonder as you meet the One to whom the voice from heaven said, "You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased" (1:11)

From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison