18:4 In that David 'houghed' the horses he rendered them useless as war machines. So whilst he retained chariots he was careful to avoid violating the injunction of the Law of Moses Deuteronomy 17:16

19:2 The historical event that David is remembering is the time recorded 2 Samuel 17:27 So David is recalling an event which would not have been readily known by all his subjects.
The way that the servants of David were treated shows that the Ammonites did not understand how David thought and behaved. This was a recurring feature of the way that men responded to David thus showing that the mind of the flesh [seen in others] could not understand the mind of the spirit [seen in David]

Chapter 19
:1-5 David's kindness to Nahash is mis understood and David's men are shamed
:6-7 Nahash, seeing he had made a mistake seeks support from Syria
:8-19 So David with his armies puts them all to flight

David continues to establish the kingdom in his hand. This battle was brought about because Nahash did not understand the character of David.

:1 Philistines Psalm 108:9
:2 Moab Psalm 108:9
:3 Syrians Psalm 108:8

ch.19 - The behaviour of Nahash - based on misunderstanding - will be mirrored in the actions of nations who oppose Christ when he reigns in Jerusalem. The nations, like Nahash, will not believe that Christ is a benign ruler. The more that is seen of human dictators the less likely it is that Christ will be seen as a benevolent king.

18 This summary of David's conquests should not be seen as describing events which followed quickly on from the promise. Rather they took place over a number of years and are summarised here to emphasise the development of the kingdom - hence 1Chron 18:14

19:2 Showing kindness to Nahash continued David's behaviour as recorded in 2 Samuel (9:1,3,7) where David, in victory, is seen as generous in manifesting the character of Yahweh rather than behaving as an earthly king who would exact tribute and revenge.

The unkind action of Hanun, the new king of Ammon, taught David a tough lesson.  Sometimes our good intentions are not received as such, especially by Gentiles. As David's son wrote, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven …. a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing" (Ecc 3:1,5).

18:3 David conquered many nations and expanded his territory which extended from Ezion-geber (Eilat) on the Gulf of Aqaba westward following the Wadi el-Arish (Brook of Egypt) to the Mediterranean Sea; northward into the territory of Hamath and Aram (the most northerly point on the coast was Tyre).  He did not complete his ambition of extending his territory all the way north to the Euphrates.  That was left to Solomon to accomplish.  

18:11  Following on from David being told he could not build the temple we see David gathering wealth to dedicate to the temple that was to be built.

19:10-13  Joab, it appears, did not consider the possibility that the Syrians and men of Ammon would both be too strong for them. As a military leader he must have been aware of that possibility. His response is the response of a man who, realizing that God is on his side, does not consider defeat.

18:11 The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-Ammi, conceived by Lot (unknowingly) and his youngest daughter (Gen 19:30-38).  The Ammonites were often at war with the Israelites.  Israel had peace with Ammon during Solomon's time, consolidated by the fact that he married Ammonite wives and worshipped their god Milcom (1Kin 11:1-8). 

Modern-day Ammon is Jordan whose capital Amman is on the same site as the ancient Ammonite capital of Rabbah.  Today, Jordan is one of the few Arab states that have a peace treaty with Israel.

18:14  This details about David’s reign is not simply an historical comment. It is to be seen against the background of him bringing the ark to Zion and conquering the enemies of Israel. The phrase is a bit like a mantra describing David’s influence.

19:18 The seeming casual comment that the Syrians fought ‘in chariots’ highlights an aspect of the Syrian army that indicated it was militarily superior to David as David would not have had chariots because of the Lord’s injunction about having horses – Deut 17:16

18:4 In this account, David has taken 7,000 horsemen.  But, in another account, the amount is 700 horsemen (2Sam 8:4). The discrepancy is put down to a transcriber’s error.  However, it is not certain which version is correct.

18:12 This event added to the fame of David, as he was the one who sent Abishai to defeat the Edomites (2Sam 8:13).

18:17 Cherethites (executioners) were David’s Royal Body Guard.  They could have comprised mercenary soldiers.  Pelethites probably refers to Philistines who came over to David’s camp.  They worked together with the Cherethites.

19:4 David’s men were completely nude from the waist down, thus exposing their private parts. Apart from this embarrassment and shame, they also had half of their beards cut off.  Cutting off a beard was a big insult in the Ancient Near East (2Sam 10:4).

30:4 Ethiopia suffered judgment from God on a number of occasions. At the time of the Assyrian invasion of Israel. Isaiah 20:4 43:3 And the Babylonians Ezekiel 30:4,9
30:14 Whilst it appears that 'No' is spoken of as having been overthrown by the time of Nahum both Jeremiah 46:25 26 And Ezekiel 30:14 15 16 speak of her overthrow as a future event, even though they prophesied after Nahum. Nahum 3:8

30:5 Locating the places named

V.5  Ethiopia equates with modern Sudan and not the country that presently bears its name.  Libya is the same as the present country.  Lydia equates with the state in Asia whose capital was Sardis (where Lydia, the seller of purple was converted to Christ (Acts 16:14); and where a model ecclesia was established (Rev 3:1)).  Chub is not precisely identifiable but some believe that it could be synonymous with Libya.  Libya and Lydia could be called to punishment for their coming to the defence of Tyre (Eze 27:10) - Lud = Lydia; Phut = Libya.

V.22 Not only the "one arm"  broken already (V.21) was not to be healed, but the other one would be broken. Not a corporal wound, but a breaking of the power of Pharaoh is intended; this would deprive him of the resources of making war. 

30:9  We must not think of God’s punishment of Egypt as some vindictive act because they were gentiles. In saying that they would know Yahweh we see that He is concerned for the salvation of gentiles as ell as Jews.

V.4 Yahweh vowed punishment on Egypt and its allies.  His anger with them is linked to the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Zedekiah had elicited the help of the Egyptians against the Babylonians (Eze 17:11-21).  Pharaoh- hophra (589-570 BC) obliged and marched to help but returned home before engaging in battle.  

It was then that Nebuchadnezzar attacked Egypt.  This took place in April 587 BC (vs.20,21), just three months before the fall of Jerusalem (Jer 39:2). 

30:10 So Ezekiel speaks with great certainty abut the fate of Egypt. Jeremiah had spoken only a few years earlier to tell those in Jerusalem that they should not go to Egypt – Jer 42:19

30:26 The scattering of the Egyptians was not to be a mindless act. It had a purpose. God wanted the nations round about to know that he was God.

30:5 The way in which other nations are associated with the fall of Egypt indicates how closely associated with Egypt those countries were. So Egypt’s influence and support for those countries would be of no value against the invaders.

V.9 Nebuchadnezzar’s ships went up the Nile and struck fear into the Ethiopians.

V.12 The rivers (KJV) is translated the Nile (ESV).  It was the annual overflowing of the Nile that produced fertility in Egypt.  If Yahweh were to prevent that occurrence, then parched land and famine would ensue.

V.14 Pathros is Upper Egypt. Zoan (Greeks called it Tanis) was the ancient capital of the Hyksos, or Shepherd kings.  This is the city from where the hostile Pharaoh Thothmes II persecuted the Israelites, and the plagues occurred (Psa 78:12,43).  Interestingly, Zoan was built 7 years after Hebron (Num 13:22).

Vs.15,16 This is the only reference to the city Sin (KJV) in the Bible. The ESV translates the city as Pelusium.  History tells us that Sennacherib advanced against Pelusium but was unsuccessful.

V.16 No (KJV); Thebes (ESV) was called the city of Zeus by the Greeks because of Thebes' chief god Amon.  In fact, No is often seen as No Amon.

V.17 Aven (KJV) means vanity, emptiness, and refers to idolatry.  That is what is levelled at On (Heliopolis) (ESV), the center of sun worship. Pibeseth means a cat.  In Egypt, cats were considered sacred, and a god was made in the form of a cat.

V.18 Tehaphnehes, alternatively spelled Tahapanes; Tahpanhes, was a powerful city.  The name resembles the Egyptian Queen Tahpenes.  Jeremiah comments on the might of Tehaphnehes (Jer 2:16).

V.21 This occurred when Pharaoh-hophra was routed by the Babylonians as they were making siege preparations for Jerusalem (Jer 37:5-7).

What we have in the destruction of both Tyre and Egypt is a complete rearrangement of the economic balance of the world. Egypt's ancient splendour you know well, and  it was gone in a moment (29:12) never to re-immerge as a power "ruling over the nations" (29:15). Tyre was the preeminent trading power, controlling the shipping lanes through the known world. So even though civilisation had been centered around these two nations for so long, and through their status they seemed immune to the changes other nations felt, they were be removed by the LORD to prove He is God (28:23-24, 29:16, 30:19).

To put this global upheaval in a context we can readily understand, it would be like Iran destroying the USA and Japan in one military campaign, along with China and India, ushering in a new world order. These were the worlds 4 largest economies in 2008 measured by GDP.

So we can see that God can and has in the past completely rearranged the world economic order and can do so again. In effect He took the world away from those who possessed it and gave it to Nebuchadnezzar (confirmed by Dan 2:37-38). This event shaped history to bring us to where we are now, and it is recorded in great detail in the Bible, showing us that the Bible is completely authoritative on both a global and a personal scale.

30:2  ‘worth <01929> the day’ is not the sort of thing we would say. The word translated ‘worth’ is from the word that is elsewhere translated ‘Alas’ so we see what the prophet is saying.

5:1 The contrast between the observance of the law of Moses and belief in the gospel as it is in Christ is so stark. The law bound men and women. Christ frees men and women. They should have known that the law was a burden that they had not been able to bear. This had been the conclusion at the 'Jerusalem council' Acts 15:10

6:6 Paul is encouraging those who are teaching and those who are learning to work together rather than against each other. Paul had been teaching. They should have been learning. The relationship was not simply teacher and pupil. It was a relationship in which fellowship was to flourish for fellowship is encapsulated in 'communicate'.

5:7-13 Paul reflects on the way in which the brethren had wavered from the faith. (Acts 21:20-21) How Paul preached the gospel with respect to the Law of Moses was a major issue. It was used against him by the Judaisers. In fact Paul preached that gentiles should not be circumcised. There seems to be no indication as to what he said to Jews. Though the fact that he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3) should have shown the Jews that he made a difference between Jews and gentiles. - Timothy's mother was a Jewess

6:1-5 The one 'overtaken in a fault' might well have been the Judaisers who now realised the error of their ways.

6:6-10 Nevertheless God knows the heart. Continue in well doing - rather than backbiting.

ch 5 - 'Walk' is a recurring word in this letter 5:16, 25, 6:16 signaling that our life in Christ is a journey.

6:1 Paul's counsel runs counter to the way we tend to deal with issues. We view the one 'overtaken in a fault' as the weak brother. If we are 'spiritual' we tend to think that we can censure the other. Often it is perceived that the one who try to 'restore' brethren are in fact lax in their faith rather than spiritual. We must take care to manifest and employ Biblical principles in our lives.

Chapter 6v4 answers the question. Being circumcised was an attractive option, because in doing so, the brother in question would be making a "good showing in the flesh". He would be exalted in the eyes of his brothers and sisters. He would have a reason to boast. He would have a reason to exercise authority over his fellows. In this we can see why the pharisees held onto the law so vehemently. They were elevated by that law. They who found the law easy to keep (or so they thought), would be elevated in the sight of those who couldn't. Paul is trying to convince these that if they turn back to the law, then they will be condemned by it, because they will still fail to keep it (6v13).

How easy it is for us to return to the law, as it were. How easy it is to exalt ourselves in the eyes of our fellow servants, because we think we have done well keeping the commandments, or we're "not as bad as them". If we do this, we forget that "neither circumcision or un-circumcision avails anything, but faith working though love" (5v6).

5:22-23 Whilst 'law' is a rigorous, unbending approach to life the 'fruits of the spirit' all tend towards an approach which is at complete variance with the legalistic approach of 'law.

6:16 'peace be on' 'the Israel of God' quotes Psa 125:5. This is not just a quotation of pleasant words. The context of the Psalm shows that the other side of the coin is 'As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity' (Psa 125:5) This would describe accurately the Judaisers in their midst.

5:4-5  We may wonder whether telling jokes is appropriate for brethren and sisters. We may also wonder what 'foolish talking' is. Especially when we learn that we will 6:4 be judged for 'every idle word' (Matt 12:36). The answer is to be found in a reflection on 5:5. If the things we say fall into any of the categories in this verse then they are inappropriate.

6:4 'bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord' quotes Deut 4:9.  From Deuteronomy we learn that the parent benefits from providing the children with instruction.

Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:17-26 - Here we have the contrast/conflict between the desires/acts of sin and the desires/acts of the spirit. Matt 7:15-23 - says we can know if people are legitimate by their fruit or actions. We need to be doers and not just hearers of the word else we deceive ourselves James 1:22.

Compassion Burnout and Enduring to the End

Gal 6:9-10 - Sadly, we sometimes hear of compassion burnout. Paul exhorts us to not grow weary in well doing especially (but not exclusively) to the family of believers. In 1Cor 9:24-27 we are told to run the good race and endure to the end lest we be disqualified.

5:22 Restoration with gentleness (one of the components of the fruit of the Spirit) is needed.  What is not needed is a harsh, judgemental attitude, leading to a quick excommunication.   

6:1 Continuing with the attitude of a shepherd, Paul instructs stronger brethren how to deal with weaker brethren who hold false beliefs.   

5:10 In saying that he had confidence in them Paul is showing his brethren that he is convinced that despite the fact that they have strayed from the Gospel that they will return. Is this how we feel about those who have slipped away? Or do we always assume that they are lost forever? Of course some are lost forever but we should have the attitude that they are recoverable and act accordingly.

6:4 Continuing the point that he made in 6:1-3 Paul is advising us to look at ourselves rather than others when seeing faults. Here he uses the same principles as Jesus did when he spoke about beams and motes Matt 7:3

5:19-21 Behaviors emanating from a sinful nature are listed by Paul.  Sinful human nature besets our ecclesias today just as much as it did those in Galatia. 

Even if one has never been associated with orgies or witchcraft, then what about jealousy, self-ambition, and dissension?  Ever been involved in those?  Paul does not put one sin greater than another - sin is sin in the eyes of Yahweh!  The anecdote to avoiding a sinful nature is to apply the fruit of the spirit (5:22,23). 

6:2,5 seem contradictory at first glance.  In v.2, the word burdens  comes from the Greek baros meaning weight or load. Burden (load) in v.5 comes from the Greek phortion meaning task or service.  

We have an individual responsibility for our own walk (service): work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12); and we will be individually judged: So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God (Rom 14:12). 

However, we do have a responsibility to help our brethren, both physically and spiritually (weight) (James 2:15-17; 5:14,15).  What we must not do, though, is to take away the personal responsibility of brethren for their own actions.  That would be like the unwise person who became a surety (Prov 6:1-5). 

5:26  Seeking honour to ourselves is divisive. It not only affects ourselves. It produces envy in others. So we see that the problems we have with our attitude affects others. 1Cor 12:26

5:11     The ‘persecution’ that Paul was suffering was from his own countrymen, and that was not just the Jews who had not accepted the gospel in Christ.  There were brethren who were accusing Paul of being unfaithful to the requirements of Scripture – Acts 21:20-21

5:24 Crucifying the flesh is to be seen as a contrast to cutting off the flesh as in circumcision.

5:14 This presupposes the first and greatest commandment, from which the second commandment flows (Matt 22:36-39).

6:11 Paul did not physically write his epistles; someone else did according to Paul’s dictation. Here Paul writes a little something, but in larger handwriting. Could Paul have had poor eyesight (Gal 4:15)? 

If he did have poor eyesight, perhaps his eyes were damaged because of his encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:3-9). As Paul’s fleshly eyes diminished, his spiritual sight increased - an example of spiritual conquest over the flesh.  

TO CARRY OR NOT TO CARRY?

What did Paul mean when he said, "Carry each other's burdens," in the one breath, and then in the next breath, "For each one should carry his own load"? (Gal 6:2,5)

The answer is found in the context of each praze. When he said, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ," he was speaking in the context of helping someone who is caught up in sin.
When we are caught up in sin it is very hard to break the cycle. We need the intensive encouragement and accountability of someone else to help us through it. In helping someone this way we are fulfilling the law of Christ by loving our neighbour as ourselves.

But when he said, "For each one should carry his own load," his context was about eliminating our own pride and making sure we examine ourselves in order not to deceive ourselves. It is not our responsibility to judge someone else's life, but we do need to carry our own load by judging our own life in the light of the example of Christ.

Let us do all we can to help each other by carrying each other's burdens, and to limit judgement to ourselves as we carry our own loads.