Year 3, Day 287: 1 Chronicles 15

The Ark Is Brought Forth

As chapter 15 opens, we at least learn than David can learn from his mistakes.  We hear that David finishes his building plan in Jerusalem and then brings forth the Ark.  What do we hear specifically in this passage?  The Ark is brought forth only by the Levites.  Uzzah paid a terrible price; but at least David did learn from the lesson and correct the mistake.

Not only does David correct the mistake, but he also takes precautions to do it completely correctly.  He gathers up the priests and the Levites.  He tells them that a great mistake had been made and the wrath of the Lord broke out against the people.  So he asks the priests and the Levites to consecrate themselves this time and to prepare to administer their duty in the way Moses commanded.

Here we see one of the major themes under David.  David is certainly not perfect, but the worship of the Lord will take precedence.  When David messes up, he messes up big.  But when the time comes to refocus on God correctly, David absolutely rises to the challenge.  David has no trouble going big for God.  He has no trouble rising up to display his “A-game.”  When David is dialed in to the same channel as God, it is absolutely clear that God has his focus.

We also see that people follow him.  When David comes before the priests, they obey his wishes.  The do as he asks.  David was a natural leader.  I think he was a natural leader for several reasons.  First of all, he was a great military general capable of unifying people on the battlefield.  Because of his military success, people would want to follow him.  However, I also think David has a natural charisma.  He explains things well and invites people into the process.  In addition, David is very much a real-life figure.  David may set lofty goals, but they are attainable goals.  David has high hopes, but they are never out of reach and David is always with a plan.  Finally, I believe people follow David’s humility.  He makes mistakes and they are clear for all to see.  He acknowledges the mistakes and makes public course corrections as opposed to covering them up or laying the blame at the feet of other people.  All of these reasons are reasons to see David as a great leader.

Fanfare

As the Ark is brought to Jerusalem, we see that David also arranged for great fanfare in its coming.  This is a celebration.  Not only was the Ark coming in a stately parade of consecrated priests and Levites, but there were musicians and singers who came along.  There were trumpets that blasted the announcement of the coming of the Ark.  This was a very festive event.

That must have been an incredible sight.  Of course, I can’t help but wonder what the typical Hebrew person thought as they watched such a spectacle.  Did they stand in amazement at the fanfare given for moving a stately piece of their history?  Did they stand confused and befuddled wondering why so much rigmarole was being made over a relic of their past?  Did people join in because the celebration was catchy and inviting?  Did people stand back cautiously because they had heard about what had happened to Uzzah?  I’m sure there were many reactions from the gathered inhabitants of the land and especially those in Jerusalem.

I also can’t help but to feel the challenge of the passage.  Yes, this is a special event.  But it is a special event where God is praised.  God is the focus of the event.  God is worshiped and glorified.  Incredible fanfare is made over God and His presence among the people.  I feel challenged.  Do I have the same fanfare when I come to worship?  Do I celebrate so wonderfully when in God’s presence?

A Doubter Among The Fanfare

We do know that there was at least one doubter in the crowd.  Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked upon the procession in disgust.  She saw David dancing and celebrating and she was disgusted.  David was moved by the Spirit – and perhaps the spirit of the event.  It disgusted Michal.

Remember that David replaced her father as king.  Certainly David wasn’t acting very kingly.  He wasn’t stately and reserved in his kingship.  David was real, in-your-face, and didn’t mind people seeing his true relationship with God.  Being a military general, he was not the typical example of the king who sits on his throne in his chamber and rules the land from behind secure doors.  Again, it disgusted Michal.

I can’t help but wonder something else.  When people look at me and the way my relationship with God is portrayed, are people disgusted by the fact that I’m not overly stately?  When the realness of my relationship with God is exposed, who is sitting back disapproving?  When God works through me – my sinfulness and my holiness – are there those who look upon in repulsion?

I’m not saying we should intentionally be trying to disgust people with our faith.  Rather, I ask the questions because I am curious how much I let the opinions of others impact my relationship with God – especially with how I expose my relationship with God.  The opinions of others can often be more important to me than they should be.  My relationship with God needs to be real.  People in this world need to see real and true relationship with God.  It may disgust some along the way.  But then again, how many people looked on with disgust as my Lord and Savior hung on the cross while dying for my sins?

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Year 3, Day 286: 1 Chronicles 13-14

The Ark Is Brought Forth

We open today’s study with the story of David making Jerusalem the religious center in addition to it being the political center of the Hebrew people.  I want to look at two significant sentences that the chronicler places at the pivot points within this story.

First, notice what David says to the tribal leaders of the Hebrew people: “If it seems good to you and from the Lord God.”  This is the sentence of a person taking a humble position of leadership.  It is clear that David wants to do this.  But rather than assert his own desire before the desires of the people and especially God, David casts the vision humbly.  He gives the opportunity for discernment on behalf of the people.  Rather than force it upon the Hebrew people, he gives them the opportunity to buy into his vision.

Second, notice that David makes a communal statement of confession when he says, “For we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”  Everybody knows that things went downhill quickly at the end of Saul’s reign.  David wants to confess the issue and set his reign up to be different.  What David is saying here is that drawing close to God would be woven throughout his reign.  Again, I don’t want to over-glorify David because we know his reign was far from perfect.  But God calls him a man after God’s own heart for a reason.  In spite of his imperfections, David is one who takes the Lord and His counsel seriously.

This would be a great point for the chronicler to bring at the time of the writing of the book of Chronicles.  The people have gone through an extended period of rebellion that in many ways felt like the craziness of Saul’s reign.   Now they have an opportunity to refocus upon God and “bring Him back to Jerusalem.”  Then again, who can’t benefit from hearing about the importance of drawing closer to God?

Uzzah and the Ark

I love this passage, because it is one of the crowning stories of paradox in the Bible.  Here the Hebrew people are drawing attention to God.  Here they are giving great pageantry to God.  Their focus is upon Him.  Yet in the midst of it a single person does what seems to be a selfless deed and dies on the spot because he was just looking out for the Ark.  It is so easy to feel sorry for Uzzah and question God.  What I love about this story is that we can relate to David’s reaction so easily!  Why would God smite a person who was just trying to prevent the Ark from being damaged or falling to the earth like a common object?

The answer is that this story has obedience and submission in its core.  God told the Hebrew people how to carry the Ark.  There were ringlets through which poles could be placed so that the Ark could be carried by the Levites upon their shoulders.  God doesn’t want the Ark transported by oxen!  He wants it to be transported by the very people who know of its significance!

In a display of a lack of submission and a lack of obedience, the Hebrew people bring it forth with oxen.  The oxen, not knowing the true nature of their task, pull it like any ordinary cart.  The cart falters; Uzzah reaches out his hand.  He dies.  The Levites were not obedient; they did not submit to God’s desire and Uzzah paid the price for it.

There are always consequences for not submitting to God – although the temporal consequences are not always quite so dire, thanks be to God!  Rest assured; there are consequences.  If God calls us to something and we do not listen to His voice properly, there will be consequences.

However, I also believe this point draws us to a deeper point.  God has certain ways of doing things for a reason.  On some aspects of our walk with Him we have flexibility.  But on other points we have none.  In the Christian walk, I believe we are talking about things like repenting. Is there forgiveness of sin without repentance?  What about submitting to God’s Word?  Is there any way to have the Word of God rest upon our heart without making a daily practice of reading it?  Or, take salvation.  Is there salvation through any work save Jesus Christ’s atoning death upon the cross?  God gives us great freedom in most of the elements of our life; but He does have some expectations in the most important areas of our life.

David misses this point.  Instead of recognizing the poor choices and the personal disobedience against God’s ways, he gets angry with God and puts the Ark in the possession of another.  Instead of falling upon David, God’s blessings fall upon Obed-edom.

David’s Family Life

In chapter 14 we get a taste of a few places where David stumbled.  David focused on two things that the cultures of the Middle East asserted as proof of kingship: a royal palace and a harem.  I can’t help but notice that the accounting of these details come immediately after the story of David turning the Ark aside for three months away from his own house.  As David turns from God, his life begins to reflect that decision.  His life is filled with worldly things.

David builds his own incredible palace instead of being content dwelling with God.  David turns to the worldly practice of polygamy instead of being content with God’s ways.  The call to obedience is hard – especially as personal affluence increases.  This does not mean that God was not still with David.  It means that David stumbled in his walk with God.  This is true about all of us.  In those times when we are content letting God dwell with others we will walk astray from Him.  Our hearts will turn and we will fall into sin.

Troubles with the Philistines

As we conclude chapter 14, we see that David’s sin was not the end of his relationship with God.  God does not forsake David simply because David has a character flaw.  Thanks be to God that this is the case, because who among us could God tolerate if He would not look past a flaw in our character?

The Philistines come against the Hebrew people.  Twice.  But notice that twice David turns to God, seeks God’s advice, and displays obedience.  Each time David feels success.  In spite of the sinfulness of his harem and his palace, God is still with David.  This is the God that we serve.  We are all tainted with sin.  In fact, as a friend reminded me recently, “we are all far worse sinners than we dare imagine.”  But as God proves here with David, in spite of our sinful nature “we are loved far more than we could ever hope.”  God is not afraid of our sinfulness.  He is saddened by it and He requires atonement, repentance, and forgiveness.  But He does not abandon us and continues to display His great power through us in spite of our sinfulness.

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Year 3, Day 285: 1 Chronicles 12

David Gains Support

In 1 Chronicles 11 most of the men listed there were David’s own kinsmen.  They were mighty men, but they were mostly men of Judah.  Of course this would make sense.  You’ve got to start somewhere.  You’ve got to start with the people that you know will support you before you can go elsewhere and try and convince others to support you.

However, as we enter into chapter 12 we are reminded by the chronicler of the times when David was fleeing Saul’s presence.  What we hear is that some of the first non-Judahites to come to his side were Benjaminites.  Remember that Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin.  The more Saul pursued David, the more his own people slipped through his hand.  The more Saul lost his mind and relentlessly pursued David, the more of Saul’s own leaders moved over to be with David.

What can we learn from this?  There is the thread that runs the whole way through the chronicler’s work.  Seek the hand of God and join it at work.  When you rebel against what God is doing, things will go poorly for you.  Saul rebelled against God’s anointing over David.  Things went poorly.

We can also learn a bit about leadership.  When we are crazy, the sane leaders underneath us will go and find the strongest sane leader and become loyal to that person instead of us.  When we act crazy, go off the deep end, speak in ways that are unreliable, make commotions for the sake of making commotions, and do other things like this what we actually end up doing is teaching people to listen elsewhere.  How many good strong leaders in the church have actually taught others around them to quit listening because they acted in crazy and unstable means rather than acting maturely and humbly before God?

We can actually see this strengthened in the verses that follow regarding the Gadites.  As David’s power and strong leadership grows, Hebrew people from across the Jordan River come to support him.  But notice what we are told in the paragraphs following the Gadites.  Even more people from Benjamin come to David.  As David’s power grows, Saul loses even more grip upon his own people.  Amasi, the leader of the second migration of Benjaminite strength, sees God in David.  He swears allegiance to David because David’s leadership is sound.  He swears allegiance to David because David’s leadership is rooted in God’s ways.  Good people and good leaders are attracted to people who display traits of being obedient to God.  As Saul’s craziness increases, David’s sanity becomes more pronounced.  The people follow.

Manasseh

Along with Benjaminites and Gadites, we also see David joined by people of Manasseh.  This happens at a time when Saul’s persecution against David is so strong that David can only find refuge among the Philistines.  Imagine this dynamic.  The chosen leader of God allies himself with the archenemies of the people of God because of the insanity and persecution of Saul.  Yet even still, Hebrew people are coming to David and offering their aid to him.  Of course, I should remind us that even when David allied with the Philistines he did not help the Philistines against the Hebrew people.

But this really begs the question: how bad must have Saul’s leadership been if Hebrew people would rather serve under someone allied with the archenemy of the Hebrew people than with the king of the Hebrew people himself!  The people know in whom God is at work.  The people know where to find good leadership.  The people eventually quit listening to the crazy talk of Saul and find God at work in their midst – even on the other side of the battlefield.

The Rest Of The Hebrew People

Eventually Saul died.  David could reign in peace from Saul.  As this happened, all of the Hebrew people came around him and pledged support.  We hear about a great army that is amassed from the soldiers of all the clans.  We hear about the gathering of over 300,000 men from all twelve tribes.  Finally, in spite of the craziness of Saul, God’s people are united.  I suppose it may even be possible to say that it was because of the craziness of Saul.  The more outrageous Saul acted and the worse his leadership was, the more willing people were to join up with David and what God was actually doing through him. 

The whole of the people united under David and a brief Golden Age of Hebrew life was born.  Under David, mistakes would be made.  But the people would be united.  Under David, it was clear that there was one God in Israel.  For the forty years of David’s reign, things would go well with respect to militaristic security, tribal unity, and religious purity.

I think this chapter is speaking loudly into my life.  There are many crazy voices happening in the world.  Some are close to home.  Others are broadcasting from far away and in arenas intentionally foreign to the voice of God.  As craziness increases, I need to be like David as a leader.  You need to be like David.  We all need to be like David.  We need to humble ourselves before God and submit to Him.  In that act we will find peace emerging out of the crazy.  People will be drawn to that peace that comes from God just like the tribes were drawn to God’s hand at work through David.

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Year 3, Day 284: 1 Chronicles 11

David Becomes King

Compared with the account in 2 Samuel, David’s meteoric rise to power in Israel as told in Chronicles was a breeze.  After Saul dies, the elders simply come to David and submit to him.  David makes a covenant with them – likely a covenant of financial tribute and military assistance in exchange for David’s leadership and commitment to God.

Why is the chronicler’s account so brief?  To be blunt, the chronicler is putting this book together to illustrate God’s hand in the midst of trial and success.  The chronicler is attempting to write an inspirational book describing the relationship of God to His people as those people are returning from exile.  The deeds of Abner and Joab as well as the battles against Ishbosheth are simply not significant to the point of the chronicler.  What is important to the chronicler is that this was God’s plan all along.  God had ordained David as king and everything else was simply God’s plan unfolding before the Master Creator.

Jebus

David then sets his sights upon Jebus.  Jebus – Jerusalem – was a central city in the Promised Land.  It was in the northernmost part of Judah, but it would make an ideal place from which David could rule all of the Promised Land.  Again we have a minimal description of the event, indicating that this was primarily God’s work, not the work of men.  This element is dramatized even more by the simple statement that the Jebusites said to David, “You shall not get in here.”  Nevertheless, David took the city.  Human will be what it may; God’s will is supreme.

However, we do have the notation that Joab becomes the captain of the guard.  When we do see evidence of human will, we see it with respect to fervent obedience that is in line with God’s will.  It is God’s will that David take Jerusalem.  It is God’s will that David take upon himself the mantle of Melchizedek.  Joab pursues this will fervently and he is exalted among men because of it.

David’s Mighty Men

The rest of this chapter is dedicated to those among David’s company who followed David (and Joab) in fervent pursuit of God’s will for David’s military success.  The first group we hear of is “the three.”  Jashobeam and Eleazar are mentioned in Chronicles.  The third, Shammah, is not mentioned here but his deeds can be found in 2 Samuel 23:11-12.  We are also told of Abishai, the brother of Joab.  Like the three, he had a moment of personal victory, but he did not attain a status as high as the three.

These men are noted for their personal heroism.  Each of these is lifted up and recognized for a personal moment of valor – not unlike the moment noted for Joab earlier in the chapter.  The chronicler desires us to see people who were willing to risk all to pursue God’s calling.  Each of these three stood up against incredible odds and survived by the power of God.  Everyone else had fled.  They had every reason to flee.  But they stood their ground.  In spite of the seemingly insurmountable odds against them, they rallied the people and stood in faith.

We also hear about Benaiah, who eventually is set over David’s own bodyguard.  Benaiah doesn’t seem to have the same military success as the ones mentioned before.  After all, Benaiah doesn’t win against great odds and against many men.  But what Benaiah does is win personal mano-a-mano contests where he is the clear underdog.  As I read through the account of Benaiah, I couldn’t help naturally thinking about the story of David and Goliath.  No wonder David placed him in charge of his bodyguard!  You wouldn’t want a man like this as a general over the battlefield.  You would want a man like this managing your personal security and dealing with any threat too big or great to be handled by the rest of the soldiers!

What I like about Benaiah is that here we get our first glimpse of appreciation for heterogeneity among David’s closest people.  David didn’t surround himself with carbon copies of himself or carbon copies of one another.  David appreciated different skills in different people and managed bringing them together and putting them to work.  David (and God!) valued heterogeneity.  It should also be noted that Solomon promotes Benaiah to commander after Joab’s death.

Finally we get a listing of the mighty men.  There is not much to report on this list.  Among the names on the list, perhaps one jumped out: Uriah the Hittite.  Of course, we know this name from the David and Bathsheba story.  Since that story is not told in Chronicles, this may be a great time to talk about why.

As we go into the life of David, we will notice that several of the stories that we are rather familiar with are simply omitted from the record.  It is possible that the chronicler was unaware of them; however this is unlikely.  The chronicler seems to get so many of the intricate details and order of the story straight from the Samuel/Kings account that it really is unlikely that the chronicler didn’t have access to the Samuel/Kings account.

In fact, this leads us to a reason why the accounts are different.  If the chronicler did have access to Samuel/Kings, then there would be no need to copy it directly!  Instead, the chronicler could focus upon the stories that speak to the hand of God moving through David’s life.  The chronicler can feel secure that the Samuel/Kings account tells the historical account accurately.  The chronicler is freed to focus not upon the history but the spirituality of the story.  Thus, some of the more familiar stories are omitted because the chronicler is focusing upon God at work rather than the human element.

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Year 3, Day 283: 1 Chronicles 9-10

Genealogy – Chapter 9

At last we come to the last of the chapters of genealogy and we surge ahead into the story.  The majority of 1 Chronicles 9 is about those who returned from exile.  We see their lists and their numbers.  We also see their duties.  We can see that as the people come back from exile, the chronicler desires to make a point about the seriousness that is required with respect to the worship of God.  Tasks are assigned.  Duties are regulated.

Unfortunately, as I was reading this chapter I couldn’t also help but think about where Judaism was headed in the coming centuries.  We know that the pendulum of religion swung far too far in the opposite direction.  Before the exile, the Hebrew people were very lax in their religious observances.  False gods crept into their culture.  Soon they were worshipping God with their lips but not in their heart.  So God pushed them into exile.

But, when they return from exile there was an equally opposite reaction.  The religious leaders desired to never make that mistake again.  Instead, the religious leaders began to focus upon the necessity to live out the law in every single dynamic of life.  They made small rules that governed every interaction as they attempted to legislate spiritual relationship with God.  In only a few centuries the majority of the people were bombarded with so many rules and regulations that keeping them all became impossible.  What we see happening is exactly what we see happening prior to the Babylonian exile but for the exact opposite reason.  Whereas before the people were only paying lip service to God because their heart wasn’t in the relationship, now the people can only pay lip service to God because the law had become so oppressive their heart couldn’t be in it!

I find it sad – but in no way unbelievable – that this happened.  Human beings tend to like to swing on the pendulum.  Society moves one way and it is good for a while, but then we take it too far.  Eventually we figure out the need to reverse course and it is good for a while, but then we take it too far in the other direction.  There seems to be an underlying current within human society of desiring to “create a perfect governing system.”  But in truth I do not believe that such a system will ever exist.  Our nature as human beings will always be to push to an extreme, take things too far as we seek for “the best,” and then have to reverse course and try again.

Perhaps I’m a natural skeptic.  Okay, there is no perhaps in that sentence.  I am a natural skeptic.  But I think that with respect to human civilization that I’m right on this one.

Return to the History of the Kings

In 1 Chronicles 10 we now turn back to the story of the Hebrew people.  Although this book was written as the exiles returned from Babylonian exile, this book is written about the line of Davidic kings.  So we return to the story of David and hear what it is that the chronicler desires for these exiles to hear about their past. 

We turn to Saul.  In fact, we turn to the story of Saul’s death.  Saul had gone with his son and his army to face off against the Philistines.  The battle turned on Saul.  Jonathon and Saul’s other sons were killed.  Saul was wounded and hunted.  When he realized he could not escape, he killed himself.  The Philistines took his body and used it as a trophy.  2 Samuel 31:10 tells us that the Philistines took Saul’s armor and put it in the temple of Ashtaroth and they took Saul’s body and hung it on the wall of Beth Shan.  The chronicler informs us that they took his head and hung it in the temple of Dagon, one of their chief gods.  However, the Hebrew people could not tolerate this treatment, so the rescued the body and brought it back.

However, the point of this chapter is in the last few verses.  Saul died because of his breach of faith.  He died because he did not submit to God.  He died because he did not listen to God.  He died because he consulted other sources for wisdom besides the true God.  The chronicler’s point is obvious to a people returning from exile.  Those who abandon God and no longer heed His voice deserve the fate that they receive.  The exiles would understand that point quite well.

I wonder how well we understand that point.  Is God our go-to source for wisdom?  Or do we listen to Him when it is convenient and it serves our purposes?  Are we devoted to God fully and completely or are we devoted to God when we have the time or when our guilt gets the better of us?  I believe these are important questions to consider as we take a fresh look at the story of the Davidic kings.  This is a topic with which they struggled and upon which they eventually failed.  We would be wise to not make their same mistakes.

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Year 3, Day 282: 1 Chronicles 8

Genealogy – Chapter 8

Today we arrive at the genealogy of Saul.  Now we begin to focus in on the more important work of the chronicler.  We have come through the ancient history and have had an accounting of all of the tribes.  In order to focus on David, some time must be spent speaking about his kingly predecessor, Saul.

There isn’t much that I personally have to say about this genealogy except with respect to those who come after Saul.  Of course, we hear about Saul and his son Jonathon.  Then we hear about Jonathon’s son Meribbaal (Also known as Mephibosheth).  You can read more about Mephibosheth’s story in 2 Samuel 4:4, 9:1-13, 16:1-4, 19:16-30, and 21:1-9.  In short, Mephibosheth was the crippled son of David’s best friend and the grandson of one of David’s greatest rivals.

What we can see through this genealogy is that God continues to be gracious to the lineage of Saul in spite of Saul’s behavior in opposition to David becoming king.  God could have smote Saul’s line from the earth.  Had David not had compassion upon Mephibosheth, that may have been the likely result.  But as we can see, Mephibosheth (Meribbaal) fathers Micah and Micah begins a new and prosperous branch of the family tree.

God is indeed merciful.  God remembers and punishes sin for such a short time compared to the amount of time that He grants prosperity.  God is harsh when angry – although when harsh it is certainly justified!  But even when God has right to be angry He often chooses mercy instead.  God is always looking towards the future and desiring the best for us – even when we get in the way of what He would like to do among us.  The fact that Saul’s line is remembered even after the greatness of David and after the exile is a testimony to the mercy of God.

What has God done for you and your family when He could have instead been harsh in judgment?  Do any of us not feel the effects of God’s mercy when we deserved condemnation?

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Year 3, Day 281: 1 Chronicles 7

Genealogy – Chapter 7

In chapter 7 we get to see the lineage of primarily the northern tribes.  However, as you read through these you will notice that there is a seemingly lack of attention to detail.  As detailed as chapter 6 was, chapter 7 seems to be the exact opposite.

Remember that the northern tribes were taken into exile under Assyria about 150 years prior to the fall of the southern kingdom and Jerusalem.  Thus, it is likely that much of the genealogical data from the northern kingdom may well have been lost.  The chronicler may not be intentionally light on details; it may have been the best he could accomplish.

In addition to this, many of the Hebrew people from the northern kingdom would have been under captivity and dispersed by the Assyrians.  Thus, when the Babylonians moved onto the scene and knocked off the Assyrians, those in captivity under the Assyrians would have been even more likely to be scattered more deeply and lost among the people.  Thus, when it came time for the Hebrew people to return from exile when the Persians defeat the Babylonians, there may not have been many of the northern kingdom still holding onto their Hebrew heritage.  Without many Hebrews from the northern kingdom returning, there may just not have been data to transmit.

So what can we learn from this?  I think there are two lessons that we can pull from the chronology before us today.  First, if we do not draw close to the Lord, we are likely to get lost in the world.  It may sound like a simple lesson, but it is a very good one.  We can stake our claim to many pursuits in this life.  But if we don’t lay our claim in the Lord, we are likely to be swept away into the world and find ourselves adrift among the masses.

The second lesson is just as important.  The northern kingdom had been in exile for a while before Judah goes into captivity.  Many of them were lost to posterity.  Of the exiles returning, most were of the clan of Judah or Levites who were living in the southern kingdom.  The exiles could have looked down upon the few exiles returning from the northern kingdom.  But yet we find their genealogy here in Chronicles.  They are included.  They could have been the proverbial ugly step-sister.  But the chronicler lifts them up in status to be included.

All have sinned.  There is forgiveness for all who repent, regardless of past circumstances.  That’s a powerful lesson to remember.

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Year 3, Day 280: 1 Chronicles 6

Genealogy – Chapter 6

As we turn to Levi we must realize that we are speaking here about the line of priests among the Hebrew people.  Of course, we cannot help but remember that before the exile the Hebrew priests were leading the rebellion away from God as much as the people.  However, just as the people went into exile in order that the remnant could come forth and be devoted to God, so also the priests went with them.  The priests were no holier than the rest of the people, but they were among those sent into exile and brought back.

Having said that, let’s also look at the other extreme.  These priests were the religious backbone of the people.  They were the ones who were charged with the operations of the temple and transmission of purity.  They were also the ones charged with ensuring that the priests of the next generation would be trained for their duty.

In this respect they had a very important role.  Here in this chapter, we find exquisite detail given by the chronicler.  He goes into seemingly greater detail in this chapter than other chapters.  The chronicler is making a point in the detail.  As the people come back from exile, the priestly line would be important.  The people had to pay attention to the priests.  The priests had to lead the people properly.  This relationship would govern the faithfulness of the people from this point forward.

We can add to this idea the length of this chapter with respect to the other genealogical chapters.  While certainly the Davidic line takes a primary role, as one reads through the genealogies it is easy to see that this chapter on the priestly line is certainly secondary in importance.

In addition, you will notice here that the chronicler doesn’t only give the genealogical data.  The chronicler also records the names of the towns that were given the priests so that they could support themselves.  Again we get a glimpse of the chronicler’s point.  The people would not only be in relationship with the priests, they would support them and give them room in their lives to work.

This is a good point to remember from a genealogy.  We are in relationship with one another.  When we lose sight of this relationship, things tend to go poorly.  As in all relationships, there must be give, take, support, time, and genuine care.

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Year 3, Day 279: 1 Chronicles 5

Genealogy – Chapter 5

 1 Chronicles 5 continues with the genealogy.  Again, let me emphasize that this is not the most spiritually fulfilling reading.  But there are some things in here that we can pull out.

First of all, notice how this chapter opens.  Reuben was supposed to have the birthright.  But because Reuben was unfaithful to his father, his birthright went somewhere else.  Joseph became the prominent son when the people went to Egypt and Judah had certainly become the prominent tribe once the people reached the Promised Land.  What’s the lesson?  Unfaithfulness has consequences.  Consequences sometimes mean that someone else gets to do what God had once given us the opportunity to accomplish.

However, also note that Reuben isn’t written out.  Reuben isn’t dismissed from the family.  His prominence simply diminishes.  There is forgiveness and mercy.  When we mess up and have to deal with our consequences, it doesn’t mean that we are banished from the sight of God.  He will still embrace us; it is just sometimes in a different capacity.

Also, notice in verse 5 that one of the descendants in the tribe of Judah has the name Baal.  This is a derivative name for the Canaanite god.  Oh, how it must have grated on God and His prophets to have a leading man in one of the tribes named after someone else’s god!  If that isn’t evidence of how the people had fallen, I don’t know what is.  Furthermore, notice that Baal is the father to the one who is in charge of the tribe of Reuben when they are taken into captivity under Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria.  Here is more evidence of why God’s anger burned against the people and why they went into captivity!

In fact, as we move into the words of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, this is precisely the point that the chronicler intends to make.  The chronicler even uses the word “whored” to describe their behavior with respect to the other gods.  Their hearts were not pure.  Their hearts weren’t even repentant!  They lusted after other gods.  They went forth in great violence.  They became like the rest of the word.  They left behind their divine mandate to bring relationship with God to the world.  They traded the purpose for which God had chosen them for a purpose of their own lusting.  They fell into judgment and Assyria came to drag them away.  There is a pretty serious lesson in that.

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Year 3, Day 278: 1 Chronicles 4

Genealogy – Chapter 4

 1 Chronicles 4 has a few surprises for us among the names.  First, as I was reading the names I honestly began to worry what I would write about today.  After all, how can someone come up with something spiritual in the midst of a pure genealogy?  Sure, yesterday was easy because it focused on David and the coming of the Messiah.  But today?  Tomorrow?  The three days after that?  How on earth am I going to come up with something spiritual on a tribal genealogy?

Then something hit me.  There is a counterpoint to yesterday’s lesson.  As important as the genealogy of chapter 3 is to all of God’s work, doesn’t that by nature indicate how mundane the rest of the chapters are?  If the Messiah is to come from David’s line, then aren’t the rest of the tribes just normal people – people not unlike you or me?  The answer is yes.  These chapters are just normal people.

But they are still present.  God still pays attention to them.  They are still recorded in God’s Word!  The message today is the exact counterpoint to yesterday.  God cares about the normal people, too!  In fact, I would wager that God cares just as much about the regular people as he does the kings of Judah.  The truth of God is that there is nobody unimportant enough that they are beyond the reach of God’s love.  That’s a fairly powerful statement.

However, as I continued to read I found a few stories within the genealogy.  The first one I want to talk about is the character of Jabez.  Did you know that Jabez is only ever mentioned in three verses of the Bible?  All of them are in 1 Chronicles.  His name is mentioned twice in this chapter and once in 2:55.  Three times in the whole Bible!

Yet, you have no doubt heard of the “prayer of Jabez.”  People have taken this single prayer and turned it into some kind of mantra for forcing God to bless them.  I think it’s rather horrible, personally.  As I was reading today, I thought more about why.

Here’s where the reference in 1 Chronicles 2:55 comes into play.  You see, Jabez did pray that prayer.  And God increased his land.  And the city or area where he lived began to be called Jabez.  That’s how impressive God’s blessing was upon him!  But in 1 Chronicles 2:55 we hear that Jabez is also the birthplace of the scribes.  It is within Jabez that the scribes come into prestige.

Those of us reading with a New Testament perspective, do you know who the main adversaries of Christ’s ministry was here on earth?  Of course there are the Pharisees.  And of course there are the chief priests.  But the people who are mentioned the most are the “scribes.”  These are the behind-the-scenes teachers, reporters, detectives, and investigators of Jesus.  These are the ones who are always listening and critiquing Jesus.  And where is it that they originate?  Yeah, that’s right.  Jabez.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not going to fault Jabez for generations of legalism that increases and grows until it reaches the point that it is capable of rejecting God’s Messiah.  I’m not resting that upon Jabez’ shoulders.  But I will say this.  The God I know is a God who desires humility, humbleness, and submission.  While I won’t lay the blame completely at the feet of Jabez, I neither find any surprise to realize a connection between a group of people who ultimately play a large part in rejecting God’s Messiah and a man whose reputation begins with, “Oh God, give me.”

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Year 3, Day 277: 1 Chronicles 3

Genealogy – Chapter 3

In case you haven’t looked forward, the genealogies run through chapter 9.  So if you don’t like genealogies I’ll apologize beforehand.  But we’ll get through them quickly enough, so just be patient and don’t set your expectations too high for the next six or so readings.

However, what we might not gain in the actual names we can gain a bit from the context.  Notice that the chronicler spends an entire chapter on the genealogy of David.  Yes, there is a list for each of the tribes.  But among the tribes, David gets his own list even among the list of Judah!

This shows that the chronicler is indeed rather interested in the Messianic line.  Of all the lines to focus upon among the Hebrew people, the chronicler focuses upon the Davidic line.  Now, naturally, this makes sense.  It is the one great line of the greatest Hebrew king. 

But it demonstrates that the chronicler has an agenda.  The purpose of this book is to remember the promises of God from the past.  But it is also to look forward to the future when those promises will be fulfilled in God’s Messiah.  There would come a king of David’s line that would eclipse even David.  The chronicler desires to do his part in keeping the watch for God’s Messiah alive as the exiles return from captivity.

So what can we take away from this context?  I think there are a few lessons to be had here.  First of all, how interested am I on a daily basis towards revealing God’s Messiah to the world?  How active am I at helping direct people’s attention to looking for the Messiah?

Second, how serious am I in continuing to look for the Messiah?  The chronicler went to great pains in pointing the people towards God’s hand at work in the world.  Am I as diligent in looking forward to what God is doing?

Third, I can’t help but wonder how good I am at remembering God’s promises in the past.  The chronicler focused on David because of the past.  The chronicler focused on David because it was a fulfillment of God’s word in the past.  What’s even more amazing is that the chronicler is roughly 500 years beyond David.  This would be like us looking back to the time of Martin Luther and looking with interest into what God was saying to the people and how God was active in their lives.

Okay, so maybe that’s not the greatest example, since we actually can look back to Martin Luther and see what God was doing among His people.  But hopefully I’ve still made my point.  Am I that interested in declaring God’s work to the people around me, especially with reference to how God was at work in the past?  I hope so. 

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Year 3, Day 276: 1 Chronicles 1-2

Chronicles - Background

There is much we don’t know about Chronicles.  We don’t know when it was written, although it is likely written after the Hebrew people return from exile as a reminder to the people about God’s faithfulness to His promises.  That’s why we put off reading it until this point in the reading plan.  We also don’t know who wrote it, although many have speculated that the author was Ezra the priest as he was returning to the land and looking to inspire the people.  We also don’t know why it was split up into two books as originally this book was a unified whole.

So what do we know?  We know that the Davidic line is important to the chronicler.  We know that this book focuses on God’s promises to the people through the line of David.  We also know that the book focuses primarily on the history of Judah while leaving out much of the detail of the northern kingdom of Israel.  We also know that the temple and the priesthood were important themes to the chronicler.

Genealogy

The first two chapters of 1 Chronicles are devoted to moving us from Adam to David.  I know what you are thinking.  Back to genealogies?  Didn’t we happily leave these behind in the Pentateuch?  Well, the answer is no.  We have them here for a mighty purpose!

Remember that this book was written to a people who are returning home from captivity.  For the past few decades – or in some cases centuries – they have had their status pulled out from under them.  They have become nothing on the face of the earth.  They were dragged away into captivity and their identity as God’s chosen people was forgotten.

Therefore, as the people return to the land it is important to reestablish who they were.  They were a people who could trace their lineage back to Adam.  Of course all people are of Adam’s line, but how many people can trace it back?  These people were also a people of Noah.  Again, all people are of Noah’s line, but how many people can trace it back?  Furthermore, these two genealogical notes give the Hebrew people claim to the promise of dominion over the earth through Adam as well as the promise of never being destroyed through Noah.  This promise would be especially potent as the remnant indeed returns from exile.

From Noah, through Shem, we then move to Abraham.  Abraham brings about a status that not all people can claim.  It is in this lineage that we have divergence from the Gentiles.  While all people can claim relation to Noah and Adam, not everyone can claim lineage to Abraham.

What is it that Abraham brings to the people?  Abraham brings the covenant.  God told Abraham that his descendants would be in number like the stars of the sky or the sand of the earth.  Abraham is told by God that his people will be special among the people of the world.  Abraham is told that his descendants would be a blessing to the people of the earth.

Again, these promises would bring incredible peace to these exiles.  Although they had been treated like captives under the Babylonians, they were actually a blessing to the people.  The Babylonians didn’t know what they had in their midst until God’s judgment wrenched it away out of their hands!  Although the Hebrew people had been forgotten by the Babylonians as just one of the people who were conquered, God proved that they were still special to Him by bringing them alone out of captivity and reestablishing them in the world.

From Abraham we move to Jacob.  Jacob is important primarily for the remembrance of the twelve tribes of Israel.  It also explains the appearance of Judah, from whom the kings of the Hebrew people would arise.  In focusing in on Judah, we see that the chronicler is indeed interested in the Davidic line and the promises that come from God through David.

In chapter 2 we focus on David’s family.  The Chronicler brings us to David and that line follows the path outlined in the book of Ruth.  The point here is that God has fulfilled His promise to lead His people.  There would be a king, and through that king there would be an even greater Messiah.

However, we also have a fair amount of text on the family tree of David.  Honestly, this text doesn’t really do much for us.  There isn’t any great wisdom here except for genealogical knowledge.  However, what it does do is to remind us of the context of family.  David was a great king.  He was a powerful man.  He sired a great line of leaders.  But the truth is that he came from a humble beginning with normal family just like the rest of us.  What made David great was his devotion to God, not the uniqueness of his lineage.  The same would be true for the exiles returning from Babylon.  The same is true for us, too.

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Year 3, Day 275: Malachi 3-4

Some of My Favorite Passages

Malachi 3 contains some of my absolute favorite verses.  We will begin with verse 2.  “Who can endure the day of His coming?  Who can stand when He appears?”

These questions should not bring us comfort.  In other prophetic books, the prophets often spoke about the day of the Lord’s judgment with respect to other nations.  However, by the time that Malachi is on the scene all of the nations have fallen and been judged underneath the growing Persian Empire.  The only people who still have yet to be judged and refined are His own people – His own rebellious people.

This passage leads us straight into looking for Christ.  You see, Jesus Himself identifies John the Baptizer as the messenger who would come before.  Who did John the Baptizer point us towards?  Jesus!  And what did Jesus do during His ministry?  He sifted through the Hebrew people looking for those who were willing to follow and be discipled.  In short, Jesus refined them.  He took them and purified them as one purifies silver or gold.  He found and removed the impurities and focused upon the faithful.  Most of the Hebrew people rejected Him, but there was some silver and gold among the slag that was worth keeping.

However, this point is also a personal point.  Look at what Jesus did within His disciples.  He took fishermen, tax collectors, and regular flawed human beings and refined them.  He reached within them, challenged them, shaped them, molded them, and pushed them.  He refined them personally, not just as a group from out of the midst of the Hebrew people.

Perhaps the most meaningful interpretation within this passage goes back to the original question.  Who can endure His coming?  In other words, an encounter with Jesus is going to inherently hurt.  Yes, salvation is blessed.  But Christ seeks to shape us, mold us, change us, and transform us.  He looks to create something within us that only He can see.  That is inherently going to be a challenging and painful process – even if the end is absolutely and completely worthwhile.  As silver and gold heats up and changes matter states, so we too will undergo the difficult process of change when we encounter Christ.

Robbing God

Malachi then turns to challenge the people.  He reminds the people that they have always been rebellious.  For the record, has anything changed in the following two millennia?

God accuses the people of robbing Him.  You see, God asks for a tithe.  Literally, the tithe was a tenth of the harvest.  That meant grain, livestock, etc.  The tithe was to be used in order to support the religious institution as well as to provide a surplus that could be used to care for widows, orphans, foreigners, and other people who might not have the means to care for themselves.

However, the people have stopped contributing to the tithe.  Or perhaps they have reduced the amount they are giving.  Or as we saw earlier in the book, perhaps they have started to give the portions of the harvest that are easy to give up – the surplus, the damaged, the sick, or the blind.

Whatever the reason, we can see that God isn’t pleased.  He doesn’t want our surplus.  He doesn’t want our excess.  He doesn’t want that which is easy to give.  He doesn’t want that which we also don’t want.  God wants us to trust Him.  He wants us to rely upon Him.  He wants us to give out of what He has already given to us knowing that we are merely stewards of all that is already His.  He also wants us to remember to give so that those who cannot support themselves can find comfort.

Therefore, God calls His people to repent.  He calls us to repent.  He calls us to turn to Him and to truly rely upon Him.  Then we will be blessed.  Then we will know His true generosity and compassion.  When we truly release control, turn to God, and trust in Him we will indeed delight in Him and know His blessing.

The people hear Malachi’s rebuke and they do indeed repent.  Here at the end of the Old Testament we see the people once more agree to remember the covenant.  Once more the people are interested in being God’s people and following His ways.  In a sense, Malachi brings us full circle in the Old Testament.  We began in Genesis with creation and rebellion.  We then heard a long story of rebellion and more rebellion overshadowing the occasional story of righteousness.  Then we’ve heard about judgment.  Now, finally, we see the people to respond.  The curse of judgment of sin is confronted by the promise of grace.  They will be spared and treasured if they but remember to follow God and obey His ways.

The Final Message

The last chapter of the Old Testament reminds the people of God’s promise.  The Day of the Lord will come.  Elijah – a prophet – will come before the day to announce its coming.  It will be a great and incredible day.  Those who are evil will be judged and burned.  But those who are faithful – fearing the name of God and being obedient to God’s command – will know righteousness and healing.  God will turn their hearts of stone into hearts of relationship.  In the beginning of the Old Testament we heard about the breaking of relationship.  Here we hear about how relationship can be reforged through Him.

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Year 3, Day 274: Malachi 2

A Message to the Priests

The opening section of Malachi 2 is fairly challenging and downright scary when you think about it.  Malachi comes against the priests and tells them about their offenses before the Lord.  What I think is amazing about this is that the people to whom Malachi is speaking are still just recently returned from exile.  If anyone would have an easy time remembering to take their faith seriously, you would expect it to be the people just coming out of exile.

What do the priests do that is offensive?  Well, yesterday we heard a nice list regarding practices and sacrifices.  But today Malachi also focuses in on their teaching.  The priests are to guard knowledge and the people are to desire instruction.  But the people have turned away.  Either the priests are instructing falsely or more likely the priests simply aren’t instructing at all.  In other words, religion is becoming a rote practice with little actual meaning behind it.

This is troublesome for me on two levels.  First of all, if there is any danger to organized religion it is when behavior becomes rote.  When we are simply going through motions, we are in danger.  When there is no purpose to our actions and words then there is no transformation.  If there is no transformation, then are we really with God?  There is my worry.  I know that if I give myself to God then He will transform my life.  So if there is no transformation occurring, then am I really giving myself to God?  As my life becomes more and more rote and less and less meaningful what happens to my relationship with God?

The second reason this passage is troublesome is because I am a firm believer in the New Testament concept of the priesthood of all believers.  The same critique that Malachi offers up here of the priests in his day can be asked of the followers of Christ in our own day!  Are the followers of Christ dedicated to being teachers of His ways?  How many of us come to the Sunday morning experience desiring to “be fed?”  How many of us look for opportunities for our own growth?  Now don’t get me wrong.  I should desire spiritual food and I should desire spiritual growth.  But Christ’s greatest call is to make disciples!  My focus should not be on coming to “learn” as much as it is on coming to learn and grow so that I can take it out to others.  That’s what it means to be a priest!  That’s what it means to follow Christ.  Jesus needs disciples who can make disciples, not stalwart bastions of unapproachable knowledge.

A Conversation about Marriage

Malachi now turns to another problem among the Hebrew people: intermarriage among the Gentiles.  Of course, when taken into exile a certain amount of intermarriage would only be natural.  As the Hebrew people were scattered under the Assyrians and the Babylonians it would make sense that many of the Hebrew people would fall from their faith and be absorbed into the Gentile culture.  While certainly not acceptable by God’s standards, it is understandable how such a reality could come about.

Here’s the thing.  God doesn’t really have an issue with Gentiles.  After all, He sent His Son to die for all.  He sent Paul specifically to minister to the Gentiles!  He has called Gentiles into His kingdom.  So the issue for God isn’t so much that they are Gentile as that they are pagan.  He doesn’t want His people being pulled away from Him.

This is a very important point, especially when considering marriage.  It is difficult to remain faithful to God throughout one’s life.  It is even more difficult when you have a spouse pulling you in another direction.  We know the Hebrew people had trouble being obedient to God on their own, much less when temptation pulls them away! 

The same is likewise true for us.  Even today, it is difficult to follow Jesus every day.  It is difficult to be obedient to God’s desires.  When considering a spouse, it is of great importance to choose someone who will encourage you in your faith rather than detract from it!  In fact, from God’s perspective we can see here that marrying someone who does not support you in your faith is actually displeasing to God. 

That being said, notice that even in the midst of their rebellion with respect to marriage God desires faithfulness.  God desires that we as men be faithful to our wives.  He likewise desires that wives are faithful to their husbands.  Here is another reason to marry someone who can support your spirituality.  Marriage is almost as difficult as being obedient to God.  You want to marry someone who takes the difficult nature of marriage as seriously as they take your relationship with God.

Making the Lord Weary

The final verses of Malachi 2 are simple yet profound.  Malachi tells the people that they have made the Lord weary.  How have they done so?  They have not paid attention to righteousness.  They allow that which is evil to exist and even be pronounced as good.

Again I am reminded that these are a people of recent freedom.  They have just come from captivity!  Yet, because of their human hearts they are quickly turned.  How true is that for all of us!  We all turn to sin and our own desires far more quickly than we should.  It is far too easy to forget the Lord and be disobedient to His ways even in the midst of His blessing.

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