Giving to Build God's Temple

1 Chronicles 28-29; Psalm 15; Proverbs 19:18-19

 

David, guided by the Spirit of God, put together building plans for God’s Temple, just as Moses had done for the Tabernacle, and he gave the plans to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11-19). And David has spent a lot of effort gathering the materials and laborers for building the Temple (1 Chronicles 29:1-2).

 

But now David has called together all Israel’s leaders, and it’s time for him to lead the people in giving personally and sacrificially to build God’s Temple:

 

Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. – 1 Chronicles 29:3-5a

 

And he challenges the leaders of the people to do the same:

 

Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD? – 1 Chronicles 29:5b

 

Just like when Moses asked the people to contribute to God’s Tabernacle, the people responded willingly:

 

Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly. – 1 Chronicles 29:6-9

 

Both times, these gifts were for buildings. Structures. Places.

 

When Jesus came, He called His body the temple of God (John 2:19, 21). Now we who have put our hope in Jesus are the one body of Christ (Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 10:17, 12:12-13; Eph. 2:14-16; Eph. 3:6, 4:3-6, 4:25; Col. 3:15). We have become the temple along with Christ (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16):

 

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. – Eph. 2:19-22

 

If the Israelites were so willing (twice!) to give generously to build structures, what are we willing to give until God’s Temple is completely built?

 

Father, give Your people a spirit of generosity so that we join with You in the ongoing work of building Your temple. May I give generously of my time, my efforts, my money. May my whole life, to the point of death, be completely devoted to building Your temple.

 

Matters Pertaining to God and the King

1 Chronicles 26:12-27:24; Psalm 14; Proverbs 19:17

 

Only where God rules can the same person be put in charge of both religious and civil affairs. But if you think about it, God has something to say about just about any law that an earthly government might make. God’s standards might be more restrictive in some matters and less restrictive on others, but God definitely has ideas on how the world should be ruled. In Israel, He imposed His ideas through the king. God is the King of kings, so no matter how powerful an Israelite king might become, that king was still a mere servant in God’s kingdom.

 

David understood that he was God’s servant. He understood that God wanted His people to be ruled in specific ways. So the kingdom was not divided between religion and civil matters. Both were governed by the same people, the Levites.

 

West of the Jordan:

From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives--seventeen hundred able men--were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the king's service. – 1 Chronicles 26:30

 

East of the Jordan:

Jeriah had twenty-seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king. – 1 Chronicles 26:32

 

When Jesus returns, the church-state separation will once again be finished. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. What God wants done will be done, and people will realize fully that God has a design and a good plan for every aspect of life. When God rules, our lives will be perfected and wonderful, and we won’t have to worry about whether obeying God means disobeying some human government or not. Since this is how things will be when Jesus returns, we should be careful to remember to obey God fully even now. He is the King who will reign forever, and life should be spent acknowledging His reign even now.

 

Father, thank You that there is a place where our religion and our civil duties are the same, and that You are bringing me there. May I live in light of Your kingdom, recognizing even now that You are truly the King. May I obey You. And may our earthly government set up good and righteous laws so that I can obey You freely without fear of punishment. But strengthen me to obey You faithfully and wisely even when my earthly government makes it difficult. I need You. I need Your reign. I need Your mercy, too. Thank You for inviting me into such a wonderful Kingdom as Yours.

 

As Much As God Allows

1 Chronicles 22-23; Psalm 12; Proverbs 19:13-14

 

What do you think of when you read that first line, “As much as God allows?” Do you think, “Sure, I’ll take as much as God allows. As much money, as much vacation, as much food, as much fun. I’ll try not to cross the lines, but I’ll take as much as God allows.”

 

David wanted to give and serve as much as God would allow. He had wanted to build a house for God, but God did not permit him to build. David’s son Solomon would build the house instead.

 

So what did David do? Did he sit back and say, “Well that saves me some time and effort.” No. David still wanted to be involved. It was his idea, his dream, his desire to honor God by building this house – this magnificent temple! So even though God would not allow David to build the house, David did as much as God would allow to serve His God by making preparations for Solomon to build the temple.

 

David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death. – 1 Chronicles 22:5

 

How extensive were David’s preparations?

 

"I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as men skilled in every kind of work in gold and silver, bronze and iron--craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the LORD be with you."

 

Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. – 1 Chronicles 22:14-17

 

David prepared the materials. David gathered the workmen. David commanded Israel’s leaders to help his son. It was almost like David had put together a temple kit for Solomon. Everything was there. Everything was ready. All Solomon needed to do was build it.

 

Solomon would get the credit – the fame, the recognition, the honor – for building the temple. But David wasn’t worried about the credit. He was a faithful servant, and he simply wanted to serve as much as God allowed.

 

Father, help me to be such a faithful servant. You are worthy. I am honored to serve You, no matter how great or small a task You assign to me. I am better off cleaning toilets in Your service than being the President of a country that opposes You. So give me as much as You want me to do. And where You prevent me from serving, may I gladly make preparations for others to serve You well in those places and ways.

 

Singing Prophets

1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11; Psalm 13; Proverbs 19:15-16

 

Hymns or choruses? Traditional or contemporary? When we meet on Sunday mornings and you sing in your church, what are we doing?

 

I hope we’re prophesying.

 

To ourselves. To one another as the family of God. To any unbelievers who happen to be among us.

 

David’s primary goal when he arranged for musicians to be a part of the Tabernacle/Temple worship was not merely music; it was prophecy.

 

David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. – 1 Chronicles 25:1a

 

David wanted people who heard the music to be taught to know God, to honor God, to glorify God, to obey God. He wanted them to know how good, how holy, how uniquely wise and powerful God is. He wanted them to be urged through the music to recognize their neediness, weakness, inadequacy and sin in all areas of life so that they would call out to God for help, mercy and salvation.

 

Whatever music style we sing, may we  not merely sing whatever makes us happy or whatever makes us feel good. May we prophecy together so that everyone among us hears from God Himself through us.

 

Father, thank You that we have something to sing about! You are worthy and glorious. You  have been good to me, taking care of me and my family day by day. You have been the peacemaker in our home, the provider of our food, our deliverer in tough financial times, our guide for life’s choices, our teacher of righteousness, and our merciful, forgiving Savior when we’ve sinned. We need a lot, and You take care of everything we need. May we be sure to sing prophetically so that others either learn or are reminded of how good You are!

 

Stupid Suspicion

1 Chronicles 19-21; Psalm 11; Proverbs 19:10-12

 

Sometimes it’s hard to trust people. We’re afraid of getting hurt, and not everyone is trustworthy. So we don’t always take offers of friendship at face value. We fret and worry that someone is about to take advantage of us. And if we grow too worried, our suspicion leads us straight into the path of stupidity. And we really mess things up when they would have been fine if we had just been willing to trust people a bit.

 

Have you ever heard of Hanun? After his father Nahash died, Hanun became the king of the Ammonites. King David sent men to offer his condolences, because he and Nahash had been friends. But Hanun’s own suspicion, and that of his advisers, got in the way. Look what happened:

 

So Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away. – 1 Chronicles 19:4

 

David sent men in peace, and Hanun humiliated them because he was afraid of what they might be up to! What started off as an act of peace turned into a grounds for war! Hanun gathered up thousands of chariots and charioteers from nearby countries, and together they went to war against Israel.

 

The chances didn’t look good for Israel’s army, caught between Hanun’s troops and the other armies that had come to help him. But Joab, the army commander, and his brother Abishai went bravely into battle, saying:

 

If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight. – 1 Chronicles 19:12-13

 

And the LORD routed the other armies. The end result for King Hanun and his Ammonite compatriots?

 

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. David took the crown from the head of their king--its weight was found to be a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones--and it was placed on David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem. – 1 Chronicles 20:1-3

 

Suspicion triumphed over trust. And in the end, suspicion destroyed Hanun and his country. They could have had peace with King David, the LORD’s anointed, and with the LORD. But they feared them too much, and rather than choosing to trust them and rest in the comfort of having such powerful allies, Hanun and his advisors did the most foolish thing they could have done to such a powerful king and God – they insulted and humiliated King David’s men.

 

Father, please keep me from allowing suspicion to lead me into stupidity. May I not be foolish in the degree to which I trust people, but at the same time may I accept other people’s friendship and extend all the trust I can. May I not allow suspicion to make me harm any of my friendships, even if I’m not certain how solid they really are. May I show others that I am friendly. May I extend a hand of peace. If suspicion leads me to do anything, may it only remind me to be wise and cautious in my friendships – never insulting or offensive. May I seek peace and avoid destruction, guarded safely in Your hands.

 

Courage Before a Holy God

1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 19:8-9

 

How dare we pray to God? How dare we pray to Jesus Christ? How dare we call on the Holy Spirit for guidance? Seriously! How dare we?

 

Don’t we realize that God the righteous Judge has seen our every sin? Don’t we know that He hears our most secret, wicked, shameful thoughts? Don’t we understand how disgusting our sins have made us, how much our lives stink to high heaven? How dare we pray to this holy, righteous, pure, awesome, just God?

 

David dared to pray to God because God spoke to him and promised to care for him. Listen in on David’s prayer:

 

You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. – 1 Chronicles 17:25

 

God promised to care not only for David, but for his family, too. So David knew that, somehow, God’s favor was on him. David did not deserve God’s favor – and knew it. But God extended his favor toward David anyway. And because of God’s good promises, David could bravely speak up in God’s presence.

 

The very promises God gave to David are tied to our ability to pray, too:

 

I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you: When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever. – 1 Chronicles 17:10-14

 

God’s promise to David was that David would have a descendant whose kingdom would be established forever. And part of the promise is that this descendant would “build a house” for God. Jesus Christ is that forever king, and He is building a house for God. That house is us, those who have put our faith in Jesus Christ, who have received His promises, confessed our sins, repented and trusted in Him. The same promises that gave David courage to pray to God give us boldness to pray.

 

God is no less holy than He has ever been or will ever be. He still hates sin and condemns sinners. But He also has made some promises that allow sinful people to have hope and to find safety. Because of God’s faithful promises, we can approach Him boldly.

 

Father, thank You for showing us through Your servant David the right way to approach You. May we never forget that You are a holy God, and that we have no right to approach You without fear. But may we always remember that You have demonstrated Your love. Whatever hope we have does not come from our own greatness in any form or fashion – it comes from You. You have been patient with us. Not only that, but You have given us promises that You will take care of us. Not only that, but You have told us how to live to please You. And not only that, but when we have failed at pleasing You, You have sent Your Son. You have fulfilled Your promises. If we had any doubt that You loved us, our doubts should be finished. Although You are holy, we may come to You. You are working things out for our good. Thank You that I can dare to pray to You!

 

Make Known Among the Nations What God Has Done

1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36; Psalm 10:1-15; Proverbs 19:6-7

 

When David led the Israelites in bringing the ark of God up to Jerusalem, he wrote a special psalm for the occasion. The opening lines portray an ideal – the ideal heart of the people of God.

 

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. – 1 Chronicles 16:8

 

The LORD is too great a God to be honored by just one people, by just one nation. He must be known and honored by all!

 

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. – 1 Chronicles 16:26

 

He is the only true God – the God of all the earth, because He made all the earth! As His people, we ought not to jealously claim that He is our God alone. He is the God of everyone, and our heart should be the same as the heart expressed in David’s psalm (which ended up being Psalm 105):

 

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” – 1 Chronicles 16:31

 

Father, may all people everywhere see how good, how powerful, how wise, how loving, how just, how patient, how wealthy, how worthy You are. May I do everything in my power to live the joyful life that comes from having You as my God. May my hands be eager and strong for my work. May my eyes and mouth reflect the delight of being in Your care. May I speak clearly and gladly, letting everyone I encounter know that You are my God and that You have met my every need.

 

David's Many Wives

1 Chronicles 12:19-14:7; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 19:4-5

 

Yes, I meant to say David. Not Solomon. David.

 

When we think of someone having many wives, our thoughts almost always turn to Solomon first. After all, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

 

But Solomon was not the only man in the Scriptures to have many wives. And we must ask the question, “Where did the wisest man on earth get the idea that it was fine for him to have so many wives?”

 

After all, he had the Scriptures. And in Deuteronomy, in a section specifically written to tell Israelites what their kings should and should not do, God decreed this about any Israelite king: He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. – Deut. 17:17. Was Solomon the first to disobey this command? He was, after all, only the third king Israel had ever had.

 

We have no indication that Israel’s first king, Saul, disobeyed this command. He disobeyed others, for sure, but it doesn’t seem that he had many wives. The text only mentions one: Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz (1 Sam. 14:50).

 

What about David, Israel’s second king and Solomon’s father? His first wife was Michal, Saul’s daughter (1 Sam. 18:27). And then he married Abigail and Ahinoam while Saul was chasing him (1 Sam. 25:42-43). While reigning as king over Hebron, he had at least six wives, not including Michal: Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah (2 Sam. 3:2-5). And at least one of them was foreign (2 Sam. 3:3)! So seven wives, and at least three of them before David is king of anything!

 

And then David became king of all Israel and moved from Hebron to Jerusalem, and history tells us: In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. – 1 Chronicles 14:3. The chronicler lists twelve sons, so David could have had up to twelve more wives, beyond the seven he already had married before moving to Jerusalem. Even if he only had three more wives, he’s still made it to ten.

 

In my book, ten to twenty wives qualifies as “many.” So while Solomon outdid his dad, it was David’s example that set the pattern for disobeying God’s command to his kings to not marry many wives. In comparison to Solomon, David did not have many wives. But compared to the common men reading God’s law, David had disobeyed God. David’s unfaithfulness to this command was the foundation for Solomon’s downfall.

 

Father, may I be supremely careful to set a good example. I do not want to teach people to disobey You. Protect my wife, my children, my friends and family and co-workers and neighbors from disobeying You by protecting me from unfaithfulness to You.

 

Spirit-Guided Commitments

1 Chronicles 11:1-12:18; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 19:1-3

 

When you’re on the run, you have to be careful. Any “friend” might turn out to be an enemy. Any “supporter” might turn out to be a traitor.

 

When David’s men came to him, he was wary: If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you. – 1 Chron. 12:17

 

But it was God’s Spirit driving these men to support David:

 

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: "We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you." So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands. – 1 Chron. 12:18

 

The Spirit of God led these men to understand that God was with David and would help him. It was no longer a matter of men’s strength and wisdom. It no longer made a difference whether these men supported or opposed David. God would bring David success. So these men joined David, because they wanted to join God.

 

Father, help us to be first and most concerned with joining You. Once we are following You wholeheartedly, lead us together as leaders and followers of men, united in following You. May all of us encourage each other in knowing You.

 

Beginnings and Endings

1 Chronicles 9-10; Psalm 8; Proverbs 18:23-24

 

Assignment time: Read 1 Chronicles 8:29-38, then 1 Chronicles 9:35-44.

 

Done?

 

Really? Ok, then you’ve noticed something.

 

They’re the same. Why?

 

They’re the same because genealogies help to locate people’s stories in history. This was Saul’s genealogy, and repeating his genealogy at the end of the genealogical section and just before the story section helps us to realize that the genealogical section is coming to an end—why else would someone repeat a whole section? It also tells us precisely where in the story we’re about to be – the story will start with at least a little bit of something about Saul.

 

In fact, what we read turns out to be the story of Saul’s death. I suppose that’s a pretty appropriate place to start, because in many ways 1 and 2 Chronicles are written to show how sinful the Israelites were and how their sin led them into exile. But how do you think they end?

 

No, don’t turn to the end of 2 Chronicles to find out. What is the last major section in the genealogy – the section before Saul’s section is repeated?

 

Look at 1 Chronicles 9:1-2: All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.

 

Did you see that? The last section of the genealogy is the record of how the Israelites began to resettle “their own property” after the exile. God was bringing them back.

 

Now turn to the end of 2 Chronicles. This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: `The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you--may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.' – 2 Chronicles 36:23. God was bringing the Israelites back home.

 

As we read the rest of 1 and 2 Chronicles, expect to see a story of death as Israel’s and Judah’s kings sin against God and lead the people into destruction and exile. But also expect to remember God’s hope for His people.

 

Father, thank You for hope.

 

When God's People Hurt

1 Chronicles 7-8; Psalm 7; Proverbs 18:22

 

We’re God’s people, so it seems like we ought always to experience God’s blessings. But we forget that although we are God’s people, we are not yet in God’s eternal land. We are living in a world that has been cursed because of our sins. And so God’s people fairly frequently experience the same kinds of pains that those outside God’s kingdom experience – and will continue to do so until Jesus returns.

 

Ephraim’s genealogy is interesting precisely because it portrays this pain. The genealogy begins pretty normally:

 

The descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, Zabad his son and Shuthelah his son. – 1 Chron. 7:20-21a

 

But apparently there should have been more descendants. The text tell us why there were not:

 

Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. – 1 Chron. 7:21b-22

 

So Ephraim had two sons who died young in a raid against them men of Gath. I’m not saying that Ephraim is unique. Many people back then and many people today have seen their sons go into battle and die. But what I am saying is that watching children die has never been easy. It has always hurt. And it has hurt even God’s people. God’s people are not invulnerable, in this life, to these pains. But as God’s people go through these pains, we remember that our God gives us hope. The pain is no less, but the pain does not have to lead us into hopelessness and despair.

 

Then he lay with his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family. – 1 Chron. 7:23

 

So Ephraim had another son following the death of these other two sons. We have already seen the lineage of one son named Shuthelah. But now we have another son’s lineage to watch. Because Ephraim had lost two sons, he named this son Beriah, which sounds like the Hebrew for “misfortune.” There is new life, but there is still the mark and memory of pain and death. What does God bring about through this line marked by the name “misfortune”?

 

His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.

 

Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son, Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, Nun his son and Joshua his son. – 1 Chron. 7:24-26

 

Through this line named after Ephraim’s misfortune came a daughter who built up Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen Sheerah – some towns. Also through this line, Joshua son of Nun was born – the very same Joshua who led Israel across the Jordan River and into the promised land.

 

God’s people will continue to hurt in this world. They will continue to fall. They will continue to get sick. They will continue to sin (though it should be less than they did before they knew God). They will continue to suffer. They will continue to die.

 

But God is faithful. And He is able to work through our pain to bring us some of our greatest blessings. One day, the pain will be over and we will all be home with our Father. Let’s press on together, resting in the Almighty Father’s hands at all times. Even when it hurts too much to walk, we will find our way safely home as we rest in Him.

 

Father, thank You that pain and even death are not the end. And thank You that this world’s experiences are not the best You have to offer. But thank You that we can know You, even though we’re part of this sin-filled, cursed world. And thank You that we can experience pain without losing hope. You are good. We look forward to the day when You lift us out of this world of pain forever. Until then, help us to press on even through our misfortunes.

 

Good x Bad = Bad

1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81; Psalm 6; Proverbs 18:20-21

 

We’re mixed bags, for the most part. We do good things. And we do bad things. So what does that mean, practically speaking?

 

Well, in terms of our relationship with God, here’s what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean that God thinks we’re great. It doesn’t even mean God thinks we’re okay some of the time.

 

God knew about the people of Manasseh, for instance. On the one hand, He knew that They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families (1 Chron. 5:24). But there was also this: [T]hey were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them (1 Chron. 5:25). So does God pat them on the back for their good points?

 

No.

 

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. – 1 Chron. 5:26

 

As far as God is concerned, it doesn’t matter how great we look if we’re also bad. Good times bad equals bad. He sees bad. He responds to bad. He punishes bad. This is not to forget that God is the one who re-creates what is bad and makes it good again. But we ought to remember that God is not interested in a mixed bag of righteousness and wickedness. In our lives, He is looking for righteousness. Which is why we must cast our lives completely into the hands of Christ. Only He can make us righteous before God. In our own strength, we will always be mixed bags.

 

Father, please help me to remember to evaluate my life honestly. Rather than trying to justify my life based on the things I do well, may I remember that in my own strength I am inadequate in my attempts to be good. In my own strength, I am a mixed bag of good and evil, and the evil corrupts the good so that I deserve Your judgment. With this honest evaluation in mind, may I then call on You, recognizing how much I need You to save me. May I remain faithful to You, because You are my only hope.

 

Actions Impact Others

1 Chronicles 4:5-5:17; Psalm 5; Proverbs 18:19

 

“It’ll only affect me.”

 

We may think that our actions affect no one else. We may think they’re “personal.” When friends try to encourage us to think and act in what they call “better” ways, we may be offended. What business is it of theirs what choices I make for my own lifestyle? “Who’s it gonna hurt?”

 

But Reuben’s genealogical records show that our personal – extremely personal – decisions can have long-lasting effects. Well into the genealogical records, after reading about Judah’s and Simeon’s descendants, we come to Reuben:

 

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)—the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. – 1 Chron. 5:1-3

 

You remember? All the way back in Genesis, when Reuben slept with one of his father’s concubines (Gen. 35:22)? It seemed to be almost nothing. Just a mention. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. And then the text goes on. A personal choice. No big deal, right?

 

Wrong.

 

Hundred of years later – when the Israelites have passed through hundreds of years of slavery and hundreds of years in their land, and even time in exile – when Reuben’s descendants are listed, the first thing everyone hears about Reuben is that he slept with his father’s concubine. It forever impacted the way the Israelites saw history. His rights as firstborn were given away. The nation looked to Judah as the “strongest” of the brothers, and they looked to Joseph as the one allotted the birthright of a double portion in the land. Reuben’s descendants? They just heard over and over again how their forefather messed both of these things up for them by sleeping with Israel’s concubine. They weren’t the rulers. They weren’t blessed with more land than others. They got nothing but the shameful reminder that they were the descendants of that one, that Reuben, who had slept with his father’s concubine.

 

Our choices impact tons of other people. Sometimes the impact is known, sometimes not. But behaviors have consequences. We’ve all experienced it. Adam, for instance, led all of us into sin by his sin. Fortunately, we’ve been given a way out of this. Jesus died and rose so that we could experience the consequences of His righteous life rather than the consequences of Adam’s sinful life.

 

I bet Reuben’s descendants wished there was a way someone could change what was recorded in their genealogical history like Jesus does for us all. Do we want to keep being known by Adam’s name? Or by Jesus’ name?

 

Father, help me first to remember that my behaviors have consequences and to carefully live in such a way that I don’t harm tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people by my actions. Even as I try to live righteously, may I remember that I can’t be righteous without You, without Jesus Your Son and without Your Holy Spirit. I need You. Thank You that I can be known by Your name. May my descendants be known by Your name, too. Your lineage is the only completely glorious one to have.

 

David, Descendant of Tamar

1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4; Psalm 4; Proverbs 18:16-18

 

The Scriptures contain some pretty twisted stories. One that I find extremely uncomfortable is the story of Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar. She married Judah’s oldest son, who died for his wickedness. So Judah gave her his second son, Onan, to be her husband and produce a son for his brother (a cultural way of looking at things). But Onan refused to help her have a son to carry on his brother’s name, so God killed him, too. And Judah was supposed to have her marry his third son. But he was afraid his third son would die, too, so he never ended up letting Tamar marry him.

 

So Tamar pretended to be a prostitute and actually deceived her father-in-law Judah into sleeping with her so that she could bear children. And she ended up giving birth to twins. This is all recorded in Genesis 38. It’s just a really twisted story.

 

But it’s important! If Tamar hadn’t deceived Judah into sleeping with her, King David might never have been born!

 

Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore him Perez and Zerah. – 1 Chron. 2:4

 

The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. – 1 Chron. 2:5

 

The sons born to Hezron were: Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb. – 1 Chron. 2:9

 

Ram was the ancestor of King David (1 Chronicles 2:10-15).

 

Father, You know the course of history – from the beginning. Things that repulse us – and that repulse You! – do not prevent You from accomplishing Your purposes. You still do good to us and for us. Thank You for directing history so faithfully, no matter what people do.

 

History in a Bottle

1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17; Psalm 3; Proverbs 18:14-15

 

I used to hate genealogies. Honestly. Think about it. You’re reading through the Scriptures, enjoying some fantastic stories and vivid descriptions. But all of a sudden, you run into this mess of names and lists of who begat whom and who succeeded whom. It slows you down! My temptation was always to speed through so that I could get on to the good stuff again. And then I realized that genealogies are supposed to slow you down.

 

It’s easy to get caught up in the fascinating details of stories. Adventures, conflicts, trials, romances, wars, pictures of loyalty and betrayal – they’re all so intriguing. But while we’re reading stories, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Genealogies give us time to remember where we are in the overall story and why the smaller stories that we love so much actually matter.

 

Here at the beginning of 1 Chronicles we find nine – yes, nine! – chapters of genealogical material. It seems boring. If we hurry through it, it will be boring, because we’ll miss all the interesting connections and all the names that are supposed to remind us about the stories we’ve already enjoyed. But if we slow down, we can re-savor all that we’ve already tasted along the way – and perhaps even pick up some details that help us understand what we’ve read in the past more clearly.

 

The sons of Ham, for instance, are intriguing. What do you notice about their names? Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan (1 Chronicles 1:8). Going back to the beginning: “The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush” (Gen. 2:13). “That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim” (Mizraim is the Hebrew word for Egypt, Gen. 50:11). “Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt” (Ezekiel 30:5). “Later the Canaanite clans scattered and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha” (Genesis 10:18b-19).

 

The sons of Ham were people, but the places where their descendants settled were all known by their names! So when we read stories about people traveling through Egypt, or Canaan, or wherever, we not only have an idea where they went geographically. We also know, just by the name of the territory, how characters are related to the people who live in that land. We see long lost relatives show up. Sometimes they act as friends. Often they turn out to be enemies.

 

But this is how genealogies work. They’re like dictionaries or encyclopedias; they serve as references. Each name is an entry in the dictionary, and if we want to learn more about the connections and cultures of the Bible, genealogies are the place where we can find out what names we should study more carefully.

 

Father, thank You that You have given us these genealogies. Thank You first because they remind us of the big picture of Your work in the world. None of the peoples listed in these genealogies at any time or any place was ever out of Your sight. You are directing all of world history. But thank You also because You use these sections of names and relationships to help us understand a culture and people we would otherwise have a very hard time understanding. Help us not to overlook the gift You have given us by including genealogies in Your Word. Most of all, help us to be reminded that You know our needs, and that You see every one of our lives, no matter where we are in history. You are able to keep track of who we are, where we live, what we’ve done. You always are able to see both the big picture and the details – the forest, the trees, and the leaves. You’re amazing!

 

The Hope of the Exiled

2 Kings 23:31-25:30; Psalm 2; Proverbs 18:13

 

The last chapters of 2 Kings are some of the most disheartening chapters in the Bible. God is so angry with his spiritually adulterous people that He has finally had enough. Not only has the northern kingdom of Israel been sent into exile, but now even the southern kingdom of Judah has been exiled to Babylon. David no longer has a descendant on Judah’s throne because David’s descendants have not followed their God faithfully.

 

And yet hope is not completely lost.

 

In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin from prison on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived. – 2 Kings 25:27-30

 

So what, right? Judah’s still in exile! It’s not like Jehoiachin is back on the throne. He may be treated well, but he’s still a prisoner. Where’s the hope in this picture?

 

This little picture of Jehoiachin’s life reminds me of another Bible character’s story: Samson’s. Do you remember what happened to Samson? The Philistines cut off his hair, which had been devoted to God, and God took away his strength. Then they captured Samson. They put out his eyes. They put him to work grinding grain. It was a totally hopeless picture. Except for this one line: “But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.” – Judges 16:22

 

That one line was enough to bring hope back into the story. Samson’s new growth of hair meant a new time of dedication to God as a Nazirite, which meant that God might not be finished with his humbled servant. By the end of the story, God has again used Samson to bring about a mighty victory over the Philistines.

 

It’s the same thing here. King Jehoiachin’s life wasn’t perfect yet. He was still in exile, still humbled. The Davidic descendant was not yet on his throne. But signs of God’s favor were beginning to show up in his life, and they were an indication that God might not yet be finished with David’s descendants or with His people.

 

Father, thank You for signs of hope. We live in a world where things are not good the way they will be when we’re home with You. And honestly, we Your people do not deserve better. We have not been faithful to You as we should have been. We have established our own priorities, set our own agendas, worshiped our own “gods” rather than You. But You still give us signs of Your love for us. You still meet our needs day by day. You feed us. You heal us. You allow us to live in relative comfort, though we’re not yet home. You have given us relative favor with our leaders and politicians, though in this world we should never expect such favor. Thank You for signs of hope, reminders that You still love us and that You are not finished with us. Thank You most of all that Jesus Christ has come, has suffered, has died and has risen again. Thank You that through Jesus You have given us Your Holy Spirit – a wonderful first taste of heavenly life! Your hope gives me strength to walk through the discouragement of living in a sinful, decaying, dying world.

 

A Selfless Heart for God and God's People

2 Kings 22:3-23:30; Psalm 1; Proverbs 18:11-12

 

When King Hezekiah was told that the Babylonians would one day overcome Judah, take away its wealth, and deport some of his descendants, his response was somewhat selfish: "The word of the LORD you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For he thought, "Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?" – 2 Kings 20:19. Told about coming destruction, he was concerned only for his own life.

 

But King Josiah was different. He was horrified when he realized how much the Judeans had disobeyed God. He knew they were due for punishment. And his heart’s response was right. This is the message he received from God through a prophetess:

 

"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, `This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.' Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, `This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. Therefore I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.' " – 2 Kings 22:15-20

 

So his heart was right. And he would not see the destruction.

 

But for Josiah, that was not enough. He wanted to put all the nation back in a right relationship with God. Everyone needed to be saved from God’s wrath. So he brought God’s Word to the people:

 

He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets--all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD--to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. – 2 Kings 22:2-3

 

And once he had led the people to a renewed covenant with God, he led them to forsake anything that might lead them away from God. He cleared the temple of various idols, got rid of pagan priests, burned Asherah poles, dealt with male shrine prostitutes and women who served other gods, desecrated the high places, broke down shrines, desecrated an altar of child-sacrifice, removed horses dedicated to the sun, destroyed chariots dedicated to the sun, destroyed altars built by the kings of Judah, desecrated high places built by Solomon, and even went up into Israel to deal with the false worship that the Israelite kings had set up by destroying altars, desecrating high places and killing false priests (2 Kings 22:4-20). And after all this destruction, he led the people to celebrate the LORD’s Passover (2 Kings 22:21-23). Josiah continued to root out mediums, spiritists, household gods and idols from Judah and Jerusalem (2 Kings 22:24-25).

 

Josiah’s heart was selflessly devoted not only to God, but to God’s people, too. He wanted them all to know God and be saved from destruction.

 

Father, may we all be so selfless even though we don’t all have the clout Josiah had to make such sweeping changes. May we do what we can to know You ourselves and to help others know You. May we start with our families, but may we also remember our co-workers, our neighbors, our relatives, our clubs – whoever we have the opportunity to turn toward You, may we help them know You for their own good! May it not be enough for us to know that we are safe; may we seek everyone’s safety.

 

King and Pawn

2 Kings 18:13-19:37; Psalm 149; Proverbs 18:8

 

Israel had been deported by Assyria and their king Sennacherib, but Judah had not. Now, however, Sennacherib had his eyes on the kingdom of Judah, too. And he sent some officials to encourage Judah’s people to give in and surrender quickly. One of the arguments these officials made was a claim that Judah’s God had given the people into Sennacherib’s hands:

 

Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the LORD? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it. – 2 Kings 18:25

 

This was obviously possible. God had already given Israel into Assyria’s hands because of Israel’s sins (2 Kings 18:12).

 

But Sennacherib and his Assyrian army were clearly not interested in serving the LORD. They were using His name as a scare tactic, trying to convince Judah that their own God had forsaken them. If Sennacherib had actually been interested in serving the LORD, he could never have said:

 

Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand? – 2 Kings 18:35

 

His arrogance caught the attention of the LORD, the true God whom Sennacherib could not imagine possibly being powerful enough to save Judah from Assyria. And these were God’s words for Sennacherib:

 

Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone…. But I know where you stay and when you come and go and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came. – 2 Kings 19:25, 27-28

 

Sennacherib – king of men, pawn of God. Sennacherib was powerless to accomplish anything without the LORD’s permission. That night the LORD’s angel killed 185,000 of his troops, and when Sennacherib returned to his home city and his home god, his own sons killed him (2 Kings 19:35-37).

 

Father, not only those who love You, but even the most powerful of those who oppose You and Your people are mere pawns in Your hands. You can do whatever You want. But even the most powerful man is weak and vulnerable. I find myself thanking You all over again that You choose to love any of us. We are so despicable. We are so blindly arrogant. Even those of us who aren’t rulers and world leaders strut around town as if the world should bow at our feet. Thank You for Your patience with us. You alone are truly glorious, powerful, wise, wealthy, strong. Thank You for loving little, shameful, foolish, sinful people like me.