I really do not know why I even started thinking about this, but I started thinking about the things I have learned over the past month. I considered lessons I learned from things that happened in life, but also information I learned about the Lord and His Word. I started thinking about the things I learned about God from His Word in my own Bible study, in Bible class, in sermons I listened to, and in other lectures.
So I thought on this last day of July, I would share with you a couple of the things I learned from God’s Word this past month. I would love to hear about things you learned as well.
- Possible sons of Goliath seek to kill David. About a week ago our congregation conducted a Family Bible School over some of the kings in the Bible. One of the kings who was discussed was David, so the story of David and Goliath was mentioned. However, an interesting tidbit I learned is found in 2nd Samuel 21:15-22. When David is old, the Bible states the following in 2nd Samuel 21:15-17: “And the Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And David waxed faint; and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.” While the Bible does not specifically say that Ishbibenob is the son of Goliath, the wording suggests that he was. Throughout the rest of the chapter, other sons come to challenge Israel and they are slain.
- The book of Ruth has the theme of redemption. I have always been taught that the story of Ruth the Moabitess was simply a story of love, and while it is that, it is also a story of redemption. I encourage you to read the book of Ruth (by the way the book of Ruth is only four chapters long) with that thought in mind. It will bring a new light to the story.
In conclusion, I think it is important to remember what James 1:22-25 states:
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”
Christians must not only learn about the Word of God, but also put the Word of God into practice.