NL-Day145 1 Samuel 14; Psalm 98; Romans 5

1SAMUEL 14:
Hostilities with the Philistines heated up to full war, and Israel was badly outnumbered. The Israelites had been kept down so much that they were basically unarmed for war. Saul and his son's army dwindled down from 3,000 men to only 600, and Samuel doesn't show up for the important before-war sacrifice.

PSALM 98:
Another favorite psalm! I love psalms where things like oceans, rivers, or trees clap their hands. I recommend this psalm for anyone who feels that we can only worship God with the good old hymns.

ROMANS 5:
Every little detail in the story of Abraham is important. Note in yesterday's reading that Abraham “figured his body was as good as _dead_,” and “Abraham believed in the God who _brings the dead back to life_.” Then we read that we must “believe in [God]— the one who _raised Jesus our Lord from the dead_.” And we will find a new concept related to this theme about death and resurrection later.

NLT Translation notes:
Rom. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by [believing//faith], we have peace with God because of what [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] our Lord has done for us.
2 Because of our [believing//faith], Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can [even] rejoice[ 0//, too,] when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
7 [PET: Now it is very difficult for someone to sacrifice himself to save someone else— even if that person is good and honest. But a person might sacrifice himself and die to save his close friend.//Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.]
9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation [at the final judgment].
10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved [because God’s Son now lives and watches over us!//through the life of his Son [now that we are his friends].]
13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin [(as such)] because there was not yet any law to break.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ].
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone [who believes].
19 Because one [man/person]* disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other [Man/person] obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
[*This is gender sensitivity taken to the extreme in the NLT! And it is inconsistent, since previously in verse 15 they used ‘man’ to translate ‘anthropos’.]
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they [are/were]. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] our Lord.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.