There are basically two ways to read the Bible — as a book of law, or as a book of promise. Our natural religious psychology wants to read the Bible as law: “God is explaining here how I can win his favor.” A law-hermeneutic is the pre-understanding we naturally bring to our Bible reading, every page. But in Galatians 3 Paul explains that he reads the Bible as a book of promise, and he wants us to as well. He sees every page of the Bible as gracious promise from God to undeserving sinners. Is there law in the Bible? Yes. But it was “added” (v. 19). Law was inserted after the promises to Abraham were established. It is promise that comes first (Genesis 12), then law comes later (Exodus 20). It is promise, therefore, that defines the all-encompassing framework within which we are to read everything else in the Bible... Every page [in the Bible], most deeply understood, shines forth as a promise of grace to sinners in Christ.
Ray Ortlund

Bible Reading: APR02: II Samuel 1-4

APRIL 2

In today’s reading we see David’s struggle against Saul’s
family, and that his march to the throne was a bloody one. His first
reign was over his own tribe of Judah and his headquarters were at
Hebron. However, Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, had made Ish-
bosheth, Saul’s son, king over all the other tribes of Israel, and
had relocated the capital over the Jordan River in Mahanaim. His
purpose in this was to protect himself and the new king from David’s
men. This action was in direct violation to God’s Word, for Abner
knew that David alone was to rule over Israel. His rebellion caused
him to murder Asahel, Joab’s brother and a son of David’s half
sister, and thus a long war began between the two kings.

In chapter 3 Joab kills Abner to avenge his brother’s death.
He also committed several other murders to protect David, and thus
held unusual power over the king. This will be more emphatically
pointed out in chapter 11 when he assists David in the murderous
plot against innocent Uriah.

Chapter 4 records the murder of Ish-bosheth. This opened
wide the way for David’s rule over the entire nation of Israel.
David did not approve of the method the sons of Rimmon used to
murder King Ish-bosheth, and David had the murderers slain because
of their crime.

From today’s reading we again see the results of the
planning of men, rather than man following God’s plan. Too often in
our lives we do not wait on the Lord, but move in our own wisdom.
More often than not the end results of such moves are tragic. God’s
Word tells us, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run,
and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Our daily
prayer should be, “Teach me, Lord, teach me, Lord, to wait.”
Mistakes of man can be prevented by following God’s leadership.