Who Am I?

 I Chronicles 17:23 And now, O Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, 24 and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 25 For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. 26 And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

As David and Israel celebrated the return of the Ark and the renewed consecration of the Tabernacle at Jerusalem, they also commemorated the Covenant God was renewing with His people and their leader. In response to God's Covenant, David responds with a prayer that begins in verse 16: "Who am I, Lord, that you would do this?" Included in that was the sentiment that it was not because of how wonderful David was or his people were that all this was happening. It was because, and only because, of God being so great and merciful.  May we start the day with that same perspective and stay that way. "It's you, Lord." 

Someone to Sing about!

 I Kings 16:23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his place.

As we saw yesterday, one of David's first orders of business was to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the Tabernacle in Jerusalem. When he did so, there was a great celebration. There was a cause to sing! Being the great songwriter he was, David wrote and sang this song. Above is only one of the verses, but it gives a glimpse of the theme: God is worthy to be praised by all men - especially His people. He is the real, true, and living God, who does great things.  We should not be able to keep ourselves from singing.  What holds you back from singing? Nothing should, no matter what kind of singing voice you have. Sing to the Lord!

First Orders of Business.

 I Chronicles 15:25 So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.

Once David was established as king in Jerusalem, his first order of business was to rid Israel of the constant threat by the Philistines (see chapter 14). The first order of domestic business was to return the Ark of the Covenant to Israel, and in particular, to the capital.  All of Israel and her surrounding nations needed to see and know that the only way the kingdom would work was if God was center and foremost in the kingdom.  When this happened there was a wonderful worship celebration. Some were not as excited as David (see the following paragraph in the passage), but David and other true Jews knew that's the way it needed to be. Have we made God front and center in our lives?

One More Important List

 

I Chronicles 11:26 The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth of Harod, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

After all these long lists of genealogies, the historian takes one chapter to describe the death of Saul and his line, then in this chapter moves on to David becoming king and the people who surrounded him: his chief three and then the thirty mighty men who served him.  Before we can understand what David did, we need to know who he was with. The people with whom we surround ourselves will make all the difference in our "history." Choose wisely. Choose faithful, godly friends.

Even the Gatekeepers!

I Chronicles 9:22 All these, who were chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were 212. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer established them in their office of trust. 23 So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tent, as guards. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south. 25 And their kinsmen who were in their villages were obligated to come in every seven days, in turn, to be with these, 26 for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted to be over the chambers and the treasures of the house of God. 27 And they lodged around the house of God, for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.

After several chapters on the genealogies of all the tribes of Israel, we come to those who were the first to return to Jerusalem after the exile.  They had a heritage that went way back.  Even the gatekeepers of the temple.  They could trace their heritage back through the time of David, and of course, to the house of Levi.  Their job of had not seemed hard or important to many, but when the return from exile came, they were especially important, as opposition to their return was great.  Every person, every responsibility was and is important to God and His people.  David the king had understood that. Do we?

Getting Caught up on History

I Chronicles 1:17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother's name was Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu; 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27 Abram, that is, Abraham.

Often when we get to these lists of genealogies, we cringe, wondering what to do with them all, let alone know how to pronounce them. We wonder why they are there. First, the serve to give us historical perspective, knowing how certain situations - in this, the kings of Jerusalem - fit into the overall plan of God for man.  Secondly, we do find some special details pertinent to history which we might miss in the full story, such as the comment about Peleg, Joktan, and Abraham.  With so many names, it is important to keep them straight (sort of like reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy.) Also, here we find names of kings of surrounding nations not elsewhere in scripture, which become important details for the kingdom years. With all this as background we will be able to comprehend what God was doing and through whom. So don't be intimidated by any part of scripture. We need it.

Making a Terrible Thing Worse

II Kings 25:23 Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. 24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

This chapter begins with the final fall of Jerusalem to Babylon and the exile that followed. As if things were not bad enough, some of those who were allowed the privilege of remaining in the land rebelled against the Babylonians and the Jewish governor they had appointed and chose to flee back to Egypt, where they came from before the Exodus.  In Jeremiah we find he was against this; his counsel had been to live faithfully for God wherever He placed you.  What are some ways you have resisted God's will, making matters worse?