Turning to 1SAMUEL 30-31:
The Philistines mustered their armies for full-scale war with Saul and the Israelites. Saul had already done a right thing in expelling all the mediums from Israel. But, since God had turned from him and would not answer him, he resorted to a medium during his darkest hour. It does not bother me too much to say that God spoke through that medium. It seems so by the evidence. But if so, it was an exception. God's word says to never consult a medium. In fact, mediums are to be stoned to death. David was preparing to go to war in support of Achish, or was he really?!
We turn for the second time to PSALM 106.
Psalm 106 is a companion to 105, as it again is a historical psalm. I see a very significant correspondence with the section of Romans we are now reading. Can you see it?
Returning to ROMANS 10:
Some of the most famous and often quoted words of the New Testament are in this chapter. Paul continues to compare and contrast God's way vs. the Jewish default way.
Translation notes:
6 But what the scripture says about being put right with God through [believing//faith] is this: “You are not to ask yourself, Who will go up into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down).
8 What it says is this: “God's message is near you, on your lips and in your heart”—that is, the message [about believing//of faith] that we preach.
10 For it is by our [believing//faith] that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved.
17 So then, [people believe through//faith comes from] hearing the message, and the message [is conveyed//comes] through preaching [about] Christ.
18 But I ask: Is it true that they did not hear the message? Of course they did—for as the scripture says: [PET “The sun, moon, and all of the stars speak the news about God to the whole world that He is the one who created everything. So people have no reason not to know about God.”//“The sound of their voice went out to all the world; their words reached the ends of the earth.”]
19 Again I ask: Did the people of Israel not understand? Moses himself is the first one to answer[, when he quotes these words from God]: “I will use a so-called nation to make my people jealous; and by means of a nation of fools I will make my people angry.”
20 And Isaiah is even bolder when he [quotes God, saying//says], “I was found by those who were not looking for me; I appeared to those who were not asking for me.”
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