26:1 - The gatekeepers were incredibly zealous for God's name...am I the same way?
27:3 - The is the "in a pit with a lion on a snowy day guy." He is an incredible individual fighter - he made a name for himself with fantastic combat victories. But we see here that he used his influence and abilities to lead other people instead of using it solely for personal recognition. It is always such a waste when talented individuals use their God-given gifts only to honor themselves...when they have such an opportunity to influence people around them.
28:8 - To maintain the covenant and remain in the Promised Land, the people needed to stay true to the Lord...David is reminding them of this fact. Unfortunately they don't remember and it gets ugly. Life has a habit of spiraling out of control when we choose to totally reject God.
28:9 - I love what David says to Solomon here...he has a great understanding of what it means to be a follower of God. Following God means that you offer every area of your life to Him as an act of worship...every area. It means you fight for righteousness and strive to honor God with your words, actions, thoughts, etc. There are no secret areas that we can keep hidden from God, so everything counts.
29:9 - I love this picture...they find great joy in giving away their material possessions to God's work! Is that what offering time looks like in our churches? How can they find such joy in sacrifice? Because they gave freely out of the love for God in their hearts...they had no expectations of future blessings...they had no fears...they just let themselves worship.
29:15 - In the ESV David says there is "no abiding" to end this verse. That means his view of life s that there is no hope...humans beings live and then thy die. Even for the Israelites, their only hope was a future for their descendants...they didn't have a fully realized understanding of eternity with God. How incredible is it that we have access to the hope that comes through Jesus Christ? We know how this story ends...we know that there is more to existence then just this life!
Showing posts with label 1 Chronicles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Chronicles. Show all posts
Friday, May 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 23-25
Wow - that is quite the chronicle of the temple organization! It makes for some really tantalizing reading, huh? Remember, when we come to passages like this, mine it for truth and try to think about it in the context of the Israelites. This is a historical document that lays out the structure and heritage of the priesthood around the time the first temple for God was built. Pretty important stuff in Jewish and Christian history though it is a tough read. Secondly, it really highlights how important it was for David to leave behind a legacy of faithfulness. You can see from the thought and effort he is pouring into this organization how desperately he wants to be the man to build God the temple, but he is unable to do it because he was a man of war. So instead of jealously trying to destroy his son's chances of building the temple, he tries to do everything he can to make sure that Solomon will be successful in honoring God. David has his rough moments in life, but this is a real testament to his heart for God and his love for Solomon.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 20-22
20:8 - So who are these giant people? Were they an entire nation of giants? What does all this mean? Some of these men were literally giant men. Goliath who David killed was almost 10 feet tall. Og the king of Bashan had a bed that was 13 feet long! The Rephaim described in I Chronicles 20 sound like they also are giant men. But I think it is safe to assume that not every descendant of these people was huge. These men are unique and stand out as warrior champions. The word Rephaim is also used to mean "important/great men" in the bible, so they may just be a race of people who are powerful, but not all literal giants.
21:1 - Satan is named the adversary here in the original Hebrew. It is really important that we understand the significance of this passage. We can see that the Israelites are starting to understand more about what is going on in the unseen world. Their theology has expanded and God has revealed to them that there is an adversarial force that is working against Him. Satan has come to tempt David into rejecting God.
21:3 - David is tempted by Satan, yes, but the he is the one who chooses to give into the temptation...and he goes all out. Joab confronts him and says, "Who cares how many people there are - isn't it enough that they are all your servants...don't do this David." He knows the census is wrong because it shifts the focus from God's power to man's power, but David rejects the good advise and pushes forward on his destructive path.
21:13 - Of all those choices, why does David choose death by pestilence at the hand of the angel of the Lord? Because he wants God to be the one to pour out the judgement and not nature (famine) or mankind (invading army). He trusts that God will act out of love and show mercy on His people, which is exactly what happens. How many hundreds of thousands would have died in three years of famine? How many people would have been raped and tortured and murdered by an invading army. David chooses to trust the punishment of the God who loves them.
21:17 - David fully understands now the enormity of the responsibility wrapped up in leadership. These people are punished because of his pride. How many times has that been the story of earthly kingdoms? Thousands of people punished and hurt for the arrogance of their leader.
Interesting side note - the place where David finally acknowledges his guilt and pleads for forgiveness with God, is the site of the future temple of the Lord. So now God has given the Israelites peace by giving them victory over the enemies surrounding them, and He follows up by allowing these events to bring about the building of the temple where they will have the spiritual power to overcome their adversary Satan. Pretty cool.
22:5 - I think it is awesome that David works so hard to give his son the tools he needs to be successful when he takes over as king. I want to do the same for my children...I want to give them the tools they need to be successful followers of God in this world.
22:16 - Great mission trip slogan! "Arise and work! The Lord is with you!"
21:1 - Satan is named the adversary here in the original Hebrew. It is really important that we understand the significance of this passage. We can see that the Israelites are starting to understand more about what is going on in the unseen world. Their theology has expanded and God has revealed to them that there is an adversarial force that is working against Him. Satan has come to tempt David into rejecting God.
21:3 - David is tempted by Satan, yes, but the he is the one who chooses to give into the temptation...and he goes all out. Joab confronts him and says, "Who cares how many people there are - isn't it enough that they are all your servants...don't do this David." He knows the census is wrong because it shifts the focus from God's power to man's power, but David rejects the good advise and pushes forward on his destructive path.
21:13 - Of all those choices, why does David choose death by pestilence at the hand of the angel of the Lord? Because he wants God to be the one to pour out the judgement and not nature (famine) or mankind (invading army). He trusts that God will act out of love and show mercy on His people, which is exactly what happens. How many hundreds of thousands would have died in three years of famine? How many people would have been raped and tortured and murdered by an invading army. David chooses to trust the punishment of the God who loves them.
21:17 - David fully understands now the enormity of the responsibility wrapped up in leadership. These people are punished because of his pride. How many times has that been the story of earthly kingdoms? Thousands of people punished and hurt for the arrogance of their leader.
Interesting side note - the place where David finally acknowledges his guilt and pleads for forgiveness with God, is the site of the future temple of the Lord. So now God has given the Israelites peace by giving them victory over the enemies surrounding them, and He follows up by allowing these events to bring about the building of the temple where they will have the spiritual power to overcome their adversary Satan. Pretty cool.
22:5 - I think it is awesome that David works so hard to give his son the tools he needs to be successful when he takes over as king. I want to do the same for my children...I want to give them the tools they need to be successful followers of God in this world.
22:16 - Great mission trip slogan! "Arise and work! The Lord is with you!"
Friday, April 30, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 17-19
17:12 - *SPOILER ALERT* Who says Jesus isn't in the OT? That is what this prophecy is all about. This prophecy given directly to Nathan for David is a revelation of God's ultimate plan. He will bring a man (Jesus) out of David's line (Through Mary) and he will be a son to God - sound familiar? Another proof that God has always had a plan for the salvation of the entire universe.
17:21 - I love David's humility and his understanding that all the blessings of Israel have come from God, but there is one thing he fails to understand fully. Yes, God specifically chooses the Israelites to be His people, but He raises them up as a priest nation so that all nations will be drawn to the awe inspiring name of God.
18:11 - David routinely gives the first and best of the spoils he acquires in victory directly to God. He understands that every good thing he has is from God anyway. This is something I think we often forget (I know I do). I act as if my own giftedness has allowed me to find success in life, and having an arrogant attitude like that makes it harder for me to be generous. Generosity comes easy to David because he has a healthy understanding of being humble before God.
19:13 - I really love this speech from Joab. He wants to use strength for the greater good and for the sake of God's name. That is truly the only appropriate way to use strength. Think about the evil and suffering that ensues when people try to use their strength to conquer and oppress simply to bring honor and victory to themselves. How different would the world be if men and women made a concerted effort to use their strength only to honor God and hep people?
17:21 - I love David's humility and his understanding that all the blessings of Israel have come from God, but there is one thing he fails to understand fully. Yes, God specifically chooses the Israelites to be His people, but He raises them up as a priest nation so that all nations will be drawn to the awe inspiring name of God.
18:11 - David routinely gives the first and best of the spoils he acquires in victory directly to God. He understands that every good thing he has is from God anyway. This is something I think we often forget (I know I do). I act as if my own giftedness has allowed me to find success in life, and having an arrogant attitude like that makes it harder for me to be generous. Generosity comes easy to David because he has a healthy understanding of being humble before God.
19:13 - I really love this speech from Joab. He wants to use strength for the greater good and for the sake of God's name. That is truly the only appropriate way to use strength. Think about the evil and suffering that ensues when people try to use their strength to conquer and oppress simply to bring honor and victory to themselves. How different would the world be if men and women made a concerted effort to use their strength only to honor God and hep people?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 14-16
14:10 - David is the embodiment of faithful leadership. He fully understands that there are no victories without God. He will do nothing without consulting God first. He has a focus that is often lacking in my own life.
14:14-15 - Again we see that David seeks God's face before making any decisions. Instead of relying on his own wisdom, he seeks God's will and God's plan. He prays to God and God goes out before Him...God lays the groundwork and foundation for what David is able to accomplish. This is how we must view our own lives. Am I praying each morning that God will go out before me and prepare events for me to enter into His will?
15:2 and 13 - David learned his lesson and brings the Ark back to Jerusalem by showing the utmost respect for the sacred object and following God;s guidelines for its transportation. He understands now that it was his failure to instruct the priests to carry the Ark that brought down God's wrath. He is a leading who is willing to admit his mistakes and learn from them.
15:29 - Why does Michal despise him? I believe that she sees David worshipping the Lord with total abandon and she is jealous. She does not have that kind of intimate relationship with God...she does not have that kind of faith and it makes her hate her husband. I have seen people belittle and mock others who had bold faith and I believe they do it because they are often uncomfortable with their own lack of life-changing faith. She is the daughter of Saul and carries his unfaithfulness, and because of her hatred of David, she is left barren and the kingly line of Saul completely dies out.
16:23,24 and 35 - The natural response of worshipping our awesome God is to make His name great in the world. We are saved for worship and mission...David understood this and we need to as well.
14:14-15 - Again we see that David seeks God's face before making any decisions. Instead of relying on his own wisdom, he seeks God's will and God's plan. He prays to God and God goes out before Him...God lays the groundwork and foundation for what David is able to accomplish. This is how we must view our own lives. Am I praying each morning that God will go out before me and prepare events for me to enter into His will?
15:2 and 13 - David learned his lesson and brings the Ark back to Jerusalem by showing the utmost respect for the sacred object and following God;s guidelines for its transportation. He understands now that it was his failure to instruct the priests to carry the Ark that brought down God's wrath. He is a leading who is willing to admit his mistakes and learn from them.
15:29 - Why does Michal despise him? I believe that she sees David worshipping the Lord with total abandon and she is jealous. She does not have that kind of intimate relationship with God...she does not have that kind of faith and it makes her hate her husband. I have seen people belittle and mock others who had bold faith and I believe they do it because they are often uncomfortable with their own lack of life-changing faith. She is the daughter of Saul and carries his unfaithfulness, and because of her hatred of David, she is left barren and the kingly line of Saul completely dies out.
16:23,24 and 35 - The natural response of worshipping our awesome God is to make His name great in the world. We are saved for worship and mission...David understood this and we need to as well.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 11-13
11:2 - Leadership is not about the title you have, it is about setting an example for people to follow...about living a life that people want to emulate. Even when David was a fugitive, the people of Israel consider him to be their leader. That is powerful.
11:14 - The Chronicler wants to make it clear that the Lord is the victory in the conquests of the mighty men. They are men of valor and strength, but most importantly they are men of faith. They are able to accomplish the things they do because they trust God. Pretty good lesson for us to remember.
11:19 - I always find this very interesting. The men were willing to give their lives to get David a drink of water from his hometown (Shows that he was able to inspire incredible loyalty in his men). Yet, when they bring him the water he instantly pours it out as an offering to God. He doesn't believe that he is worthy of such devotion and honor and understands that true loyalty belongs to God - the one and only True King of the Israelites.
12:2 - Interesting note - there are only 23 ambidextrous archer/slingers mentioned here. They must have been really incredible and specialized to be mentioned so prominently. These men must have really been able to turn the tide of a battle. It is also important to note that they are related to Saul, yet they have given themselves into David's service. Once again, we see the impact of the incredible leadership of David.
12:18 - The Spirit of the Lord that dwells within us thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is still very active before the cross. When we see the Spirit of God move in the OT, we see Him come upon people for short periods of time. Here the Spirit allows Amasai to give a prophetic speech about David. Those who are loyal to David and his descendants will be blessed by God.
13:9 - Always a hard passage to understand (We see that even David is distraught and confused by what happens), we need to see that the blame actually falls on David's leadership. The people are so caught up int he euphoria of their victory and bringing the Ark of the Lord back, that they fail to treat the Ark with the respect that it is due as the most sacred object of God. They believe that God's presence was represented by the Ark, yet instead of having it carried by priests, they throw it on top of a cart for everyone to see. The Ark was only shown tot he people once a year, and yet they have it on display and the people become familiar with it. So familiar, that Uzzah believes he can tough the Ark even though that goes against Israelite law. His death is a harsh reminder to the Israelite people and David, about the holiness of the Lord.
11:14 - The Chronicler wants to make it clear that the Lord is the victory in the conquests of the mighty men. They are men of valor and strength, but most importantly they are men of faith. They are able to accomplish the things they do because they trust God. Pretty good lesson for us to remember.
11:19 - I always find this very interesting. The men were willing to give their lives to get David a drink of water from his hometown (Shows that he was able to inspire incredible loyalty in his men). Yet, when they bring him the water he instantly pours it out as an offering to God. He doesn't believe that he is worthy of such devotion and honor and understands that true loyalty belongs to God - the one and only True King of the Israelites.
12:2 - Interesting note - there are only 23 ambidextrous archer/slingers mentioned here. They must have been really incredible and specialized to be mentioned so prominently. These men must have really been able to turn the tide of a battle. It is also important to note that they are related to Saul, yet they have given themselves into David's service. Once again, we see the impact of the incredible leadership of David.
12:18 - The Spirit of the Lord that dwells within us thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is still very active before the cross. When we see the Spirit of God move in the OT, we see Him come upon people for short periods of time. Here the Spirit allows Amasai to give a prophetic speech about David. Those who are loyal to David and his descendants will be blessed by God.
13:9 - Always a hard passage to understand (We see that even David is distraught and confused by what happens), we need to see that the blame actually falls on David's leadership. The people are so caught up int he euphoria of their victory and bringing the Ark of the Lord back, that they fail to treat the Ark with the respect that it is due as the most sacred object of God. They believe that God's presence was represented by the Ark, yet instead of having it carried by priests, they throw it on top of a cart for everyone to see. The Ark was only shown tot he people once a year, and yet they have it on display and the people become familiar with it. So familiar, that Uzzah believes he can tough the Ark even though that goes against Israelite law. His death is a harsh reminder to the Israelite people and David, about the holiness of the Lord.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 8-10
9:20 - Phineas stands out because he is specifically cited as a man who the Lord was with. This is a reference to the Phineas from Numbers Chapter 25 who had great zeal for the Lord. When people were desecrating God's house, he ran them through with a spear and saved the Israelite people from utter destruction at God's hands. He was a man who guarded the house of the Lord and the gatekeepers in this passage are men that follow in his footsteps. Zeal for the name of the Lord - that's also known as a lifestyle of worship.
9:35ff - Why is the genealogy of Saul repeated (Also in I Chronicles 8:29ff)? Well for one, it is a literary device to bring the readers back into focus as the Chronicler is about talk about the death of Saul. Secondly, the Chronicler wants to make it very clear that there were non-Hebrew people in Saul's line. This may explain why Saul was so frequently willing to turn away from God and worship other idols...but it also shows us that God is willing to use people of any background to do His will. God's heart for all nations will be a theme that pops up pretty frequently in I Chronicles.
10:14 - The writer of I Chronicles makes it very clear - Saul died because he failed to understand that the one and only true ruler of Israel and the world is God. He rejected the authority of God and so he was removed by God. Only destruction comes when we choose to worship ourselves over God in life.
9:35ff - Why is the genealogy of Saul repeated (Also in I Chronicles 8:29ff)? Well for one, it is a literary device to bring the readers back into focus as the Chronicler is about talk about the death of Saul. Secondly, the Chronicler wants to make it very clear that there were non-Hebrew people in Saul's line. This may explain why Saul was so frequently willing to turn away from God and worship other idols...but it also shows us that God is willing to use people of any background to do His will. God's heart for all nations will be a theme that pops up pretty frequently in I Chronicles.
10:14 - The writer of I Chronicles makes it very clear - Saul died because he failed to understand that the one and only true ruler of Israel and the world is God. He rejected the authority of God and so he was removed by God. Only destruction comes when we choose to worship ourselves over God in life.
Friday, April 23, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 4-7
* My suggestion for how to get through passages like these and stay focused, is to make it an investigation. Look for something that is different...look for something that stands out, that breaks the pattern. There is a reason for everything the Biblical authors did and changes in structure will clue us in to important events.
4:10 - A best-selling book was created based solely on this verse right here. The prayer of Jabez. The author said that coming across this verse was like finding an oasis in a desert of names. I find it interesting that the prayer of Jabez sounds pretty selfish when you read it. He is saying, give me more land, protect me, etc. But God grants his request, so there has to be motivation there that is larger than selfishness. For one, Jabez is approaching the situation from a place of humility...he knows he can do nothing on his own and throws himself on the provision of God. For another, if he is asking for God's hand to be with him and fro his borders o increase, maybe his heart motivation if for God's name to be made great in the world. I don't think it is wrong for us to make requests of God, I just think we all have to have the right motivations - expanding God's kingdom and honoring His name.
5:25-26 - Another break in the endless list of names, but this one is not as heartwarming as that of Jabez' prayer. It says that the people of Manasseh have whored themselves after the false gods of peoples who have already been crushed by their own true God. It doesn't really make sense. What is motivating them to reject a real God for the false ones? Maybe they just want to fit in with the people around them. Maybe they just want an excuse for living free of any moral restrictions. Whatever it is, thy make an insane choice. How many people in our culture do the exact same thing? How many times do we have to see how horribly the false gods of alcohol, drugs, sex outside of marriage, materialism, self-service, etc...lead people down a path of destruction and depression? How many times? At the end of this passage, we see another example of God's control over all of creation. He stirs up the heart of the pagan king, who then chooses to follow God's urgings and attacks the rebellious Israelites.
4:10 - A best-selling book was created based solely on this verse right here. The prayer of Jabez. The author said that coming across this verse was like finding an oasis in a desert of names. I find it interesting that the prayer of Jabez sounds pretty selfish when you read it. He is saying, give me more land, protect me, etc. But God grants his request, so there has to be motivation there that is larger than selfishness. For one, Jabez is approaching the situation from a place of humility...he knows he can do nothing on his own and throws himself on the provision of God. For another, if he is asking for God's hand to be with him and fro his borders o increase, maybe his heart motivation if for God's name to be made great in the world. I don't think it is wrong for us to make requests of God, I just think we all have to have the right motivations - expanding God's kingdom and honoring His name.
5:25-26 - Another break in the endless list of names, but this one is not as heartwarming as that of Jabez' prayer. It says that the people of Manasseh have whored themselves after the false gods of peoples who have already been crushed by their own true God. It doesn't really make sense. What is motivating them to reject a real God for the false ones? Maybe they just want to fit in with the people around them. Maybe they just want an excuse for living free of any moral restrictions. Whatever it is, thy make an insane choice. How many people in our culture do the exact same thing? How many times do we have to see how horribly the false gods of alcohol, drugs, sex outside of marriage, materialism, self-service, etc...lead people down a path of destruction and depression? How many times? At the end of this passage, we see another example of God's control over all of creation. He stirs up the heart of the pagan king, who then chooses to follow God's urgings and attacks the rebellious Israelites.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
I Chronicles Chapters 1-3
Sidenote 1: To start off the book of Chronicles, we need to understand that the Israelites are in the Babylonian exile. They are broken, lost, confused, hopeless, etc. They need to gain an understanding of who they are...they need to see a clear picture of what is doing through them and that is exactly what the Chronicler provides at the beginning of I Chronicles.
Sidenote 2: I think it is really cool that the Chronicler lays out the history of man and the Israelite people from Adam to present day (Present day for him anyway). It shows again God's heart for all people's, because we all start in the same place. For those who are wondering, if you take a biblically perspective on the age of the earth, it comes in at around 6,000 years old. The interesting thing is that 2,000 years of human history were lived before Abram's covenant and the commandments of God to the Israelites. 2,000 years were lived which Jewish scriptures being the sole revelation from God. And now a around 2,000 years have been lived in the era of the Messiah (Jesus') return. I thought that was pretty cool.
2:7 - Poor Achan - what a legacy he left for himself. He tried to hold back a portion of the wealth that had been devoted to God, and He paid a steep price for it. He is forever infamous for his selfishness. We should all live, not in fear of our legacy, but with an understanding that we want to leave behind a legacy that honors God...not one that dishonors His name.
3:5 - F.Y.I. - Bath-shua is an alternative spelling of Bathsheba...just wanted to clear that up.
Sidenote 2: I think it is really cool that the Chronicler lays out the history of man and the Israelite people from Adam to present day (Present day for him anyway). It shows again God's heart for all people's, because we all start in the same place. For those who are wondering, if you take a biblically perspective on the age of the earth, it comes in at around 6,000 years old. The interesting thing is that 2,000 years of human history were lived before Abram's covenant and the commandments of God to the Israelites. 2,000 years were lived which Jewish scriptures being the sole revelation from God. And now a around 2,000 years have been lived in the era of the Messiah (Jesus') return. I thought that was pretty cool.
2:7 - Poor Achan - what a legacy he left for himself. He tried to hold back a portion of the wealth that had been devoted to God, and He paid a steep price for it. He is forever infamous for his selfishness. We should all live, not in fear of our legacy, but with an understanding that we want to leave behind a legacy that honors God...not one that dishonors His name.
3:5 - F.Y.I. - Bath-shua is an alternative spelling of Bathsheba...just wanted to clear that up.
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