Burunche’s Blog

1 Chronicles 10:1 – 14 “Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him.

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died. So Saul died together with his three sons and all his house.

The Philistines Possess the Towns (1 Samuel 31:7–10)

When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and ran away. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities. The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of Dagon.

Jabesh-gilead’s Tribute to Saul (1 Samuel 31:11–13)

When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul, all their men of valor set out and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.”

The whole problem of kingship began because the Israelites rejected God as their king and demanded a human ruler. The prophet Samuel was horrified and distressed, but God told Samuel that the Israelites were not rejecting Samuel but rather rejecting God. God chose a warrior named Saul from the tribe of Benjamin, a tribe noted for its fierce warriors, to become king. Judging by appearances, Saul LOOKED like a king! Saul was tall, handsome, strong, and courageous. There was only one problem: Saul did not truly believe in the God of Israel but rather viewed God as some kind of oracle or good luck charm. Despite the fact that God chose Saul to be king, Saul never actually prayed or sought to know God for himself but depended on Samuel. Saul became a victim of his refusal to believe for himself. Second – hand faith is no faith!

Saul’s military career was one of successes interspersed with mess – ups. When Samuel ordered Saul to wait at Gilgal until Samuel arrived to make sacrifices, Saul only waited until people began to get restless and then “felt compelled” to make the sacrifices himself. God had appointed Samuel as a prophet and Samuel also served priestly functions in addition because of God’s anointing. But Saul had no such calling from God, nor had God appointed him to make sacrifices. This incident marked Saul’s first major mistake. Then God ordered Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites; however, again Saul failed to obey. At that point, Samuel told Saul that God had rejected Saul from being king and that God was giving the kingship to a man who would honor Him. That man was David, the youngest son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah.

Once Saul realized that David was to be his successor, Saul did everything he could to kill David. Despite all Saul’s schemes, Saul’s son Jonathan and David became fast friends. The longer Saul’s persecution of David persisted, the more evident it became that Saul’s reign was going to end. Eventually, Samuel died, leaving Saul with nobody who would give Saul the world of the Lord. Saul’s last mistake was to consult a female medium, even though he himself had banished mediums from the kingdom. When the woman succeeded in summoning the spirit of Samuel, Samuel told Saul that Saul and his sons would die the next day. This prediction came true.

The next day, Saul and his sons fought a hot battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. With all three sons dead and blood pouring from numerous arrow wounds, Saul fell on his sword and died rather than allow the Philistines to capture him. Saul’s armor bearer did the same. The Israelite army ran away, and those living in surrounding cities also evacuated to avoid being slaughtered by the Philistines.

When the Philistines found the bodies of Saul and his sons, they cut off Saul’s head, stripping off his armor and hung both the head and the armor in the temple of Dagon. Brave men from Jabesh – gilead came to Mount Gilboa, collected the bodies of Saul and his sons, and sent them back to Jabesh, where they buried the bones under an oak tree that was a local landmark. Then the people of Jabesh mourned and fasted for seven days. Part of the reason for this fast was to honor Saul, but also the men who had handled the bodies were ritually unclean and needed to cleanse themselves. Ezra’s final comment on Saul was, “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.”

APPLICATION: What happened to Saul? Saul felt entitled! Saul assumed that being big and strong and handsome and brave was enough for God. Not once did Saul ever beg Samuel to instruct him in the ways of God. Despite the fact that God had ordered that any kings of Israel should make their own copies of the Law and study those copies for themselves, Saul never did it. Saul was great at taking charge but lousy at taking orders or being obedient. As long as things went well, Saul was fine. But whenever there was pressure from popular opinion, Saul would cave.

Several years ago, there was a famous American football player named O. J. Simpson. In the beginning, Simpson was fabulously successful as an athlete and moderately successful as an actor. Simpson’s mother was a strong Christian and had raised Simpson as a believer. But later in Simpson’s career, he lost his focus. Finally, Simpson’s beautiful wife was murdered, and it was unclear whether or not Simpson was responsible. A life with so much promise was now in ruins. What happened? Two contributing factors may have been a sense of entitlement engendered by early success, plus a failure to remain close to God.

There are very few of us who can actually handle success in a godly fashion. So many times, we lose sight of God and begin to trust in ourselves, failing to remember that it was God who brought us success in the first place. Spiritually, the only safe place for any of us to be is to get as close to God as possible. One dear friend who is now with Jesus used to pray, “Lord, help me love you more today than I did yesterday.” That’s a great prayer for all of us!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow You and not ourselves! Help us to remember that You are our Source of light and life and love. Please help us to love You more each day than we did the day before.  In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 9:1 – 44 “So all Israel was recorded in the genealogies written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. But Judah was exiled to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.

Now the first to resettle their own property in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

These were some of the descendants of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem: Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah. From the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. From the Zerahites: Jeuel and 690 relatives. From the Benjamites: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah; Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Michri; Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; and 956 of their relatives according to their genealogy. All these men were heads of their families.

From the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin; Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief official of God’s temple; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah; Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; and 1,760 of their relatives, the heads of their families, able men for the work of the service of the house of God.

From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a descendant of Merari;

Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph; Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berechiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

These were the gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was their chief; he was previously stationed at the King’s Gate on the east side. These were the gatekeepers from the camp of the Levites. Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives from the Korahites were assigned to guard the thresholds of the Tent, just as their fathers had been assigned to guard the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD.

In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him. Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their positions of trust. So they and their descendants were assigned to guard the gates of the house of the LORD—the house called the Tent. The gatekeepers were stationed on the four sides: east, west, north, and south. Their relatives came from their villages at fixed times to serve with them for seven-day periods. But the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the rooms and the treasuries of the house of God. They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they were responsible for guarding it and opening it every morning. Some of them were in charge of the articles used in worship, to count them whenever they were brought in or taken out. Others were put in charge of the furnishings and other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices. And some of the sons of the priests mixed the spices.

A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread. Some of their Kohathite brothers were responsible for preparing the rows of the showbread every Sabbath.

Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night. All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem.

The Descendants of Saul

Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah. Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They too lived alongside their relatives in Jerusalem. Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal. The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, who was the father of Micah. The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Jarah; Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri was the father of Moza. Moza was the father of Binea. Rephaiah was his son, Elasah his son, and Azel his son. And Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

It’s likely that Chronicles 1 and 2 were originally one book compiled by Ezra, who led the first group of Israelites back from Babylon to resettle Jerusalem. The ten tribes comprising the Northern Kingdom of Israel were carried off into captivity by the Assyrians. Later, the kingdom of Judah was captured by the Babylonians and many of its citizens taken to Nineveh. But in 559 B.C., something miraculous occurred.

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’ ” So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.” (Ezra 1:1 – 6)

Led by Ezra, a large group of Jews did move back to Jerusalem. But how were things to be re – structured? It wasn’t simply a question of rebuilding houses and the temple; there were the duties of the priests and Levites to be re – instituted. 1 Chronicles 9 indicates those who returned to Jerusalem and describes their duties – gatekeepers, bakers, musicians, and other temple servants. The comments about these people are fascinating. The head gatekeepers also kept track of the temple treasury and were accountable for defending it. One man was singled out to bake the showbread, presumably because his skills were exemplary. Others were tasked with arranging the showbread.

Notice that the musicians stayed in the temple complex and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night. Psalm 134:1 says, “Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who serve by night in the house of the LORD!” Anyone who has ever led worship knows that it’s much easier to keep going when you have an audience. Those who conducted worship at night had an audience of One, the One True Living God.

APPLICATION: Why would Ezra list all those working in the new and much smaller temple in Jerusalem? Even though Solomon’s temple lay in ruins, worship still needed to continue. For Ezra and all those who accompanied him, their focus had to be on God and not on externals; otherwise, they would have become completely disheartened. Ezra’s lists were both ways of keeping track of everyone and also a means of encouraging the priests and Levites to be diligent in their work. Just because these people had returned to Jerusalem did not automatically guarantee that they would fulfill their assignments properly. As a matter of fact, once Ezra was no longer around, work on the temple stopped and people began building their own houses, settling farms, etc. It was this gloomy news that caused Nehemiah to beg leave and to come to Jerusalem, where he carried out further reforms.

Every supervisor knows that there are those who can be trusted to work without being closely monitored and there are those who must be watched constantly. If we are followers of the One True Living God, then everything we do should be done for His glory. No task is too menial to be dedicated to God. What is our motivation for working? Do we work as steadily without an audience as we do when someone is watching? Remember those temple musicians; they were exempt from other duties, but only because they were on duty 24/7. As believers, so are we.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to fulfill Your Call on our lives, whether or not we have a human audience, knowing that You are the One for whom we work. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 8:1 – 40 “Benjamin was the father of Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was the second born, Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. The sons of Bela: Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

These were the descendants of Ehud who were the heads of the families living in Geba and were exiled to Manahath: Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them into exile and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud. Shaharaim had sons in the country of Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. His sons by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.

The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its villages), and Beriah and Shema (who were the heads of families of the inhabitants of Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath). Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.  Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham.

All these were heads of families, the chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem. Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, and Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah.These also lived alongside their relatives in Jerusalem.

The Family of Saul

Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.

The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was the father of Micah. The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. Moza was the father of Binea. Raphah l was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. The sons of his brother Eshek: Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third. The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and they had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.

All these were the descendants of Benjamin.”

Who was the tribe of Benjamin? The site https://study.com/learn/lesson/tribe-of-bejamin.html tells us this: Despite Rachel’s repeated issues with conception, she eventually gave birth to two sons. The first, Joseph, was Jacob’s favorite child, leading Jacob’s other sons to fake his death and sell him into Egyptian slavery. The second of Rachel’s sons was Benjamin. She was ill during her pregnancy with Benjamin, perhaps because of her advanced age, and died while giving birth to him. Because of her distress, she wanted to name her son ”Ben-oni,” meaning ”son of sorrow.” Jacob, wanting to ensure his son was not fated with an ill omen, chose the name ”Ben Yamin,” (Anglicized as ”Benjamin”), which means ”son of the South” or ”son of the right hand.” Although Jacob’s favorite son was Joseph, it was fairly evident that his second favorite son was Benjamin–probably because they were the two sons of his favorite wife.

 Tribe of Benjamin Genesis 49:27 ““Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” JACOB’S BLESSING

The Book of Genesis ends with Jacob blessing his 12 sons from his death bed, each becoming the head of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. After the Israelites conquered the area, each of the 12 tribes was granted an area of land in Canaan, the region on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. In the Book of Joshua in the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Benjamin is granted the region stretching from the Jordan River in the east right above the Dead Sea to the city of Bethel in the northwest and Jerusalem in the south.

The Benjamite territory contained major significant cities, such as Jericho and Jerusalem. The region was an ideal space for religious, trade, and agricultural purposes. Jerusalem was the holy city that, according to the Jewish tradition, was where the Jewish god Yahweh spared Isaac from being sacrificed by his father; it later became the site of the Temple and the location of the king’s palace. Though Benjamite territory was small, it was located between two of the largest territories: Ephraim, to the north, and Judah, to the south. As the tribe of the later kingship, Judah was a vast and prosperous territory that contained many of the significant cities and events of the Bible. The Tribe of Benjamin’s location bordering these areas as well as directly on the Jordan River and Dead Sea gave Benjamites vast opportunity for trade. The waterways made this territory ideal for agriculture on the eastern edge, and the mountains that cut through the middle of the region provided protection from enemies.

The tribe is best known for its warrior-like people who were skilled in archery, slinging rocks, and left-handed fighting. The tribe also controlled the major city of Jerusalem early in Jewish history and produced the first king, Saul, of the United Kingdom of Israel. Later, the Benjamites united with the Judahites to control the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and most modern-day Jews are descended from one of these tribes.”

APPLICATION: The tribe of Benjamin was small but very fierce! Tangling with someone from Benjamin would be like tangling with a buzz saw – not something recommended if you wanted to survive. God selected Saul to become the first king of Israel because Saul was a big strong warrior and he looked like a king. Saul had the chance to start a dynasty that might have ruled Israel for centuries, if only Saul had been patient. But when the Prophet Samuel warned Saul to wait for him before making any sacrifices, Saul panicked. 1 Samuel 13 tells us that Saul waited at Gilgal for seven days and when Samuel failed to appear and the people were threatening to scatter, Saul forced and made a sacrifice. Almost as soon as Saul had finished, Samuel appeared.

1 Samuel 13:13 – 14 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

The tribe of Benjamin might have been celebrated as the tribe of royalty. But when everything was on the line, Saul choked up and made a tragic mistake. Because of Saul’s failure, God chose David and the tribe of Judah to rule. Benjamin did continue to play a very important role in the Southern Kingdom, and when the Babylonians carried off the people of the nation of Judah, it was people from Judah and Benjamin who returned with Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem.

What kind of heritage are we leaving our descendants? Will our children and grandchildren remember us as people of faith, people of virtue, and people of courage, or will they remember us as something less?

Find Us Faithful Steve Green

1. We’re pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road,
   And those who’ve gone before us line the way.
   Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary,
   Their lives a stirring testament to god’s sustaining grace.
2. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
   Let us run the race not only for the prize,
   But as those who’ve gone before us. let us leave to those behind us,
   The heritage of faithfulness passed on thru godly lives.
3. After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone,
   And our children sift thru all we’ve left behind,
   May the clues that they discover, and the mem’ries they uncover,
   Become the light that leads them, to the road we each must find.

Chorus: O may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe,
And the lives we live Inspire them to obey.
O may all who come behind us find us faithful.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and to teach our children as well. Help us to remember that others are always watching us and taking their cues from our actions. Help us to reflect Your glory. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 7:1 – 40 “The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron—four in all. The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, the heads of their families. In the days of David, 22,600 descendants of Tola were numbered in their genealogies as mighty men of valor.

The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs. In addition to them, according to their genealogy, they had 36,000 troops for battle, for they had many wives and children. Their kinsmen belonging to all the families of Issachar who were mighty men of valor totaled 87,000, as listed in their genealogies.

The Descendants of Benjamin The three sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael. The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, heads of their families—five in all. There were 22,034 mighty men of valor listed in their genealogies.

The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth; all these were Becher’s sons. Their genealogies were recorded according to the heads of their families—20,200 mighty men of valor.

The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. All these sons of Jediael were heads of their families, mighty men of valor; there were 17,200 fit for battle. The Shuppites and Huppites were descendants of Ir, and the Hushites were descendants of Aher.

The Descendants of Naphtali The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum — the descendants of Bilhah.

The Descendants of Manasseh  The descendants of Manasseh: Through his Aramean concubine, Asriel, as well as Machir the father of Gilead. Machir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters. Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.  The son of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. And these were the sons of Shemida: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

The Descendants of Ephraim The descendants of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son. Ezer and Elead were killed by the natives of Gath, because they went down to steal their livestock. Their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. And again he slept with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. So he named him Beriah, (sounding like the Hebrew for “tragedy” or “disaster”) because tragedy had come upon his house. His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah. Additionally, Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son, Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, Nun his son, and Joshua his son.

Their holdings and settlements included Bethel and its villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages as far as Ayyah and its villages. And along the borders of Manasseh were Beth-shean, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

The Descendants of Asher The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber, as well as Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, and of their sister Shua. The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet’s sons. he sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram. The sons of his brother Helem:  Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.

The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. All these were the descendants of Asher—heads of their families, choice and mighty men of valor, and chiefs among the leaders. The number of men fit for battle, recorded in their genealogies, was 26,000.

We have just read brief genealogies of six tribes, and each time, the scribe has taken care to record the number of fighting men, calling them “mighty men of valor,” “heads of their families,” “choice.” Why these designations? If you are going to remember ancestors, remember them for something great. Few descriptions seem more praiseworthy than these. After all, who wants to say, “Oh, that was Great Grandfather Benjamin; he was a cheating wimp and a camel thief!” Courage, strength, and dedication are the qualities the recorder is admiring. Besides, in those days, if you didn’t fight well, you didn’t survive long enough to HAVE descendants!

Even though there are very few women mentioned in these lists, there are a few who are noteworthy. Look at the tribe of Ephraim. “His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah.” In all the lists, this is the only mention of someone building cities, and this lady built three! In the tribe of Manasseh, Zelophehad is mentioned as having only daughters; however, what is not mentioned is the fact that these women were bold enough to come to Moses and Joshua and claim their father’s heritage, so that he would not be forgotten in Israel. They were granted their request, provided that they married within their tribe, and God commended these women for their bravery.

APPLICATION: For the Israelites, genealogy was important because they had to prove that they were truly Israelites and not bastard half – caste children. Without such proof, an Israelite would be barred from temple worship for up to ten generations, or perhaps even forever. These stories also served as an encouragement to succeeding generations. If Grandpa was a brave warrior, a youngster could take courage from his example. Family stories would help youngsters feel a part of something bigger than themselves.

 Most families have stories, and we miss a great deal if we do not learn them. Many Americans can point to ancestors who came from various parts of the world unable to speak more than a few words of English, but who made a better life for their children because they took risks. But there is a heritage more valuable than the suffering of immigrants, the heritage of faith and virtue.

Years ago, one man in my home village shipped cattle to the Chicago stockyards. As this fellow was waiting for the sale of the cattle to go through, he realized he had run short on funds and needed to cash a counter – check. (No ATM cards or credit cards at that time.) When this man met with a bank manager and the bank manager called the local bank with which he did business, the local banker said, “If that’s _____ standing there, then he’s good for any amount he puts on the check.” That incident took place more than seventy years ago, but the man’s reputation for honesty remains intact. 

When generations of a family have truly served the One True Living God, there is a sweetness that cannot be measured. But such a heritage can only be carried forward with prayer. When we pray for our families, we should be praying for all the generations right up to the time that Jesus returns. We should beg God to make our descendants men and women of spiritual valor, people who will swear to their own hurt and will not change despite opposition. Today, remember to pray for all your family and friends and for their future generations. We need mighty men and women of valor now more than ever!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and help us to pray for those around us, including the coming generations. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 6:51 – 81 “Territories for the Levites (Numbers 35:1–8; Joshua 21:1–45)

Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them: They were given Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasturelands. But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh, together with their pasturelands.

And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.

To the rest of the Kohathites, ten cities were allotted from the half-tribe of Manasseh. The Gershomites, according to their clans, were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan.

The Merarites, according to their families, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

So the Israelites gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands. They assigned by lot the cities named above from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

And some of the clans of the Kohathites were given cities from the tribe of Ephraim for their territory: They were given Shechem (a city of refuge) with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth-horon, Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon, together with their pasturelands. And from the half-tribe of Manasseh the remaining clans of the Kohathites were given Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands.

The Gershomites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands. From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth, and Anem, together with their pasturelands. From the tribe of Asher they were given Mashal, Abdon, Hukok, and Rehob, together with their pasturelands. And from the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following: From the tribe of Zebulun they were given Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands. From the tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan opposite Jericho they were given Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands. And from the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.”

“GIVE UP MY LAND??? SAY WHAT???” At first, the other Israelite tribes might have felt ripped off! The list of these cities includes the pasture lands belonging to the cities – probably the best land around there. But there is no record of any protest from any of the tribes. Perhaps by this point, the other tribes realized how much work the Levites were having to do. Remember that whenever the Israelites moved, the Levites had to take down the tabernacle of meeting, pack it all up, and then carry it! These burdens were in addition to any household goods the Levites owned personally. Once the Israelites reached a new camping location, while everyone else was merely pitching their own tents, the Levites had to set up the tabernacle first before worrying about their households. The Levites had all the responsibilities of the Tabernacle, including maintenance, cleaning out ashes, etc.

God deliberately refused to assign the Levites a single area because He wanted the priests to be spread throughout Israel. Notice that God even assigned land to the priests east of the Jordan to make sure that there would be priests to minister to Reuben, Gad, and the half – tribe of Manasseh. But there was a hitch: the Levites had to depend on the generosity of those other tribes if they were to have any spot in the Promised Land to call their own.

Personally, I have always felt sorry for Caleb. Hebron was originally inhabited by giants and Caleb went in there and defeated the giants. Then, the next thing you know, God is giving the city for which Caleb and his troops have worked so hard to the priests and making it a city of refuge in addition. But somehow, we never find any record of Caleb complaining about such seeming injustice. Why? Caleb was very close to God. Perhaps God advised Caleb that He was giving Caleb the honor of the chance to offer up Hebron as a special offering to God. Give such an opportunity, Caleb would have made such an offering gladly. King David is quoted as saying, “Should I offer to God what costs me nothing?” but Caleb was of a similar spirit. Generations later, David actually ruled in Hebron before he ruled in Jerusalem. Perhaps God gave Caleb a glimpse of David as an encouragement.

APPLICATION: When God gives you something, how tightly do you hold onto it, particularly if it is something you have wanted for years? Are you willing to hold things and people lightly, so that if God asks for them back, you can let them go? Just as Caleb freely gave up the city of Hebron to become a city for the priests and a city of refuge, so we need to be willing to return God’s gifts to Him when he asks.

God’s requests to give things back to Him can come in all sorts of ways.

Parenting: Sending kids off to school: This is the time of year when kids are returning to school and parents are facing long good – byes. Will the child do well? Will he/she find good friends? What will the school environment be like?

Bereavement: the last twelve months, we have buried two beloved brothers. Both were honorable men, loving, kind, caring, and hard – working. In each case, chronic health problems finally became worse, resulting in death. It has been doubly painful because we had spent so much of our time away from family that our time with these two men turned out to be far more limited than we had hoped.

Retirement: Retirement brings new challenges in the art of letting go. If we are wise, we bow out gracefully from one arena but take the opportunity to enter other new ones. Make no mistake! In God’s economy, He will always have new assignments for you if you will only open your eyes.

Jesus’s followers were very worried about this question, and one day they came to Him for information. “Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Peter was quite correct! Peter and Andrew and James and John had all left thriving fishing businesses to follow Jesus. Undoubtedly, these men were getting pressure from their families, who were demanding to know when this Messiah gig was going to pay off. It’s doubtful that Jesus’s answer satisfied some of those family members; however, Jesus spoke truth. For the rest of those men’s lives, they were welcomed into homes and treated as family by hundreds and thousands of people. Eventually, most of the disciples did die for their faith, but before then, they enjoyed the glorious heritage Jesus described, both on earth and in heaven.

There are no possessions that cannot be taken away from us, no bank accounts that cannot somehow be rifled. Life does not come with guarantees. Far better then, to accept Jesus’s promises and to follow Him, for if we do, we will have heavenly treasure that can never decay or be stolen. As Jim Elliott, a missionary martyr, once said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be willing to exchange our old sinful natures for Your purity, righteousness, and holiness. Save us from ourselves, dear Lord, and clean us up, so that we will be fit to live with You in heaven forever. Amen.

1 Chronicles 6:31 – 50 “The Temple Musicians These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. And they performed their duties according to the regulations given them. These are the men who served, together with their sons.

From the Kohathites:

Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.

Heman’s kinsman was Asaph, who served at his right hand: Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.

On the left were their kinsmen, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

The Descendants of Aaron

Their fellow Levites were assigned to every kind of service of the tabernacle, the house of God. But Aaron and his sons did all the work of the Most Holy Place. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

These were the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.”

Chosen to praise! King David himself was no mean musician or composer, so anyone whom David chose must have had extraordinary ability. How proud these men must have been as they stood in the temple praising God. And how exciting it must have been to hear the shouts of those standing in and around the temple, “Hosanna! Blessed are You, O Lord, Creator of the universe!” That heritage was one passed throughout generations. Still today, throughout the world, there are those leading praise and worship to the Living God. But wherever there is a ministry, there are always pitfalls.

The biggest pitfall to most worship leaders is the ability to tell the difference between worship and performance. True worship leads us into the spiritual throne room of God and invites the Holy Spirit to come and to abide with us. Performance, on the other hand, is person – centered; we are invited to worship the performer rather than God. Sadly, it is quite possible to begin by being a true – hearted leader of worship and to end by becoming a performer. How can worship leaders avoid this pit? Copy Cori Ten Boom’s example. Whenever someone would praise Cori, she would treat the praise like a sweet – smelling bouquet, inhale the fragrance and then offer it up to God. If someone praises a worship leader’s abilities, he or she can thank that person and then give God the glory. Praise that is hung onto rots and smells!

Face it, no worship leader ever created tongues, vocal cords, lungs, or diaphragms. God – given abilities are just that, God – given. True worship leaders know when it is time to be silent and let the Holy Spirit minister without distractions.

Maintaining the temple took a lot of work. There were Levites who carried out the more mundane tasks in the temple, and then there were those priests descended from Aaron. It was Aaron’s offspring who served in the most holy place. While such service was a big honor, it was also dangerous. One part of the priestly attire included bells on the skirts of the priest’s uniform as well as a rope tied around the priest’s ankle. If the bells stopped tinkling, it might mean that the priest had done something wrong and that God had struck him dead. At that point, the rope would serve to drag the priest’s body out of the most holy place so that nobody else would be struck dead as well!

APPLICATION: “Whew!” you might say. “I’m so glad that I am not a priest!” Wait, who told you that you weren’t? Each one of us is called to praise and to worship, not merely in church but wherever we work, wherever we live. What good is our labor if it is not dedicated to God? I am a surgeon, and before I operate, I ask God to guide me and to heal the patient completely. I plead the Blood of Jesus on my patients for complete restoration.

There is no labor that comes without a calling from God, unless it is something out of the Will of God. God has called each and every one of us to take part in His plan for the universe. If we will only ask, God will show us what He wants us to do and where He wants us to do it. God is passionately interested in you and wants you to love Him, so that your life will be complete.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please help everyone who reads these words to find their rest in You and to find their vocation, their calling in You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 6:1 – 29 “The Descendants of Levi

The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas was the father of Abishua, Abishua was the father of Bukki,

Bukki was the father of Uzzi, Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth, Meraioth was the father of Amariah, Amariah was the father of Ahitub, Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz, Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Johanan, Johanan was the father of Azariah, who served as priest in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem,

Azariah was the father of Amariah, Amariah was the father of Ahitub, Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Shallum, Shallum was the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah was the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. Jehozadak went into captivity when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. (The Babylonian captivity)

The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.  The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.

These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers: Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son.

The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son.

The sons of Samuel: Joel his firstborn and Abijah his second son.

The descendants of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.

WHY WAS THE TRIBE OF LEVI CHOSEN IN THE FIRST PLACE?? It all started at Mount Sinai when Aaron caved in to popular demand and created a golden calf, copying one of the Egyptian gods. When Moses came down from the mountain, he found the Israelites engaged in an all – out orgy. Exodus 32:29 – 29: “Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies. So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.

He told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each of you men is to fasten his sword to his side, go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and slay his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’ ”

The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell dead.

Afterward, Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for service to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother; so the LORD has bestowed a blessing on you this day.” (Some sources say “have ordained yourselves”)

The Levites separated themselves to God by paying an appalling price – redeeming Israel by sacrificing their friends and relatives at the edge of the sword. What must it have been like to be one of those Levites who moved throughout the camp, not even sparing those closest to them? Our first response might be to deny that such an act could possibly be God’s will. Why would a loving Heavenly Father order such carnage? But unless you have had close experience with the demonic, it may be difficult for you to understand.

The people who fell to the swords of the Levites did not suddenly wake up that morning and decide to have an orgy; no, these were people who had probably been secretly worshiping Egyptian gods that they had brought with them when they left Egypt. These people were idolaters waiting for any excuse to cut loose, and when Aaron caved in to their pressure, they took full advantage of the situation. If God moved the Levites to kill, then God also showed the Levites whom to kill. Had these people survived, they could have easily led the rest of the Israelites astray within a few short weeks.

These lists of Levites include the good, the bad, and the downright horrible. Among these lists are the names of the faithful who kept the temple fires lit even while paganism raged and roared just outside the temple. Some of these men taught kings the ways of God and brought revival. Some of these men were martyred for their faith. And some of these men proved to be sad disappointments, allowing pagan altars and even prostitution into God’s temple.
Later on, these lists would prove critically important for the exiles from Judah and Benjamin who would follow Ezra and Nehemiah back from Babylon to Jerusalem. To establish worship, those leaders would need Levitical priests.

APPLICATION: To be descended from Levi was both a blessing and a curse. Families of Levites were set apart and were considered as special people; but on the other hand, there were many restrictions on Levites as well. But once given such a heritage of faith, it was up to individuals to maintain it.

1 The Son of God goes forth to war,
a kingly crown to gain;
his blood-red banner streams afar:
who follows in his train?
Who best can drink his cup of woe,
triumphant over pain,
who patient bears his cross below,
he follows in his train.

2 The martyr first, whose eagle eye
could pierce beyond the grave,
who saw his Master in the sky
and called on him to save:
like him, with pardon on his tongue
in midst of mortal pain,
he prayed for them that did the wrong:
who follows in his train?

3 A glorious band, the chosen few
on whom the Spirit came,
twelve valiant saints, their hope they knew,
and mocked the cross and flame:
they met the tyrant’s brandished steel,
the lion’s gory mane;
they bowed their necks the death to feel:
who follows in their train?

4 A noble army, men and boys,
the matron and the maid,
around the Savior’s throne rejoice,
in robes of light arrayed:
they climbed the steep ascent of heav’n
through peril, toil, and pain:
O God, to us may grace be giv’n
to follow in their train.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to love You more each day than we did the day before. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 5:1- 2

! Chronicles 5:1 – 26 “These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So he is not reckoned according to birthright. And though Judah prevailed over his brothers and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

 The descendants of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria carried into exile.

Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites. His relatives by their clans are recorded in their genealogy: Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in Aroer and as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. They also settled in the east as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in the land of Gilead.

During the days of Saul they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands, and they occupied the homes of the Hagrites throughout the region east of Gilead.

The Descendants of Gad

The descendants of Gad lived next to the Reubenites in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah:

 Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Jaanai and Shaphat, who lived in Bashan.   Their kinsmen by families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber—seven in all. These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz. Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family. They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its towns, and throughout the pasturelands of Sharon. All of them were reckoned in the genealogies during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.

The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 warriors—valiant men who carried the shield and sword, drew the bow, and were trained for battle. They waged war against the Hagrites, as well as Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.

And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers. They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys. They also took 100,000 captives, and many others fell slain, because the battle belonged to God. And they occupied the land until the exile.

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

Now the people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous. They settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir, also known as Mount Hermon). These were the heads of their families:

Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel.

They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their families. But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and they prostituted themselves with the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.”

 How to really mess up??? Well, consider Reuben. Reuben was the first – born of Jacob/Israel’s sons and therefore should have had all the rights and privileges accorded to that position – land, livestock, riches, and power. But Reuben proved to be unstable and unworthy of that birth right. Reuben forced Rachel’s maid Bilhah, his father’s concubine, to have sex with him. (Genesis 35:22) By this act, Reuben was forcefully demonstrating his lack self – control and his lack of respect for his father as well as his lack of respect for Bilhah, the mother of two of his brothers. Reuben was also acting as if his father was already either impotent or dead. (Since this incident took place shortly after Rachel died in childbirth, Israel was obviously not impotent.) Such an act might well have been taboo and perhaps even punishable by death for most of the pagan tribes at this time.  Just before dying, Jacob conferred Reuben’s birthright on Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Remember the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half – tribe of Manasseh? All these tribes had large flocks and herds. When the Israelites were approaching Canaan from the east, they came into the lands ruled by King Og of Bashan and King Sihon of the Amorites. In those days, the land was very fertile, with excellent grazing and plenty of water. With God’s help, the Israelites annihilated both of these nations. The Reubenites, the Gadites, and those from Manasseh made a deal with Moses to claim these lands as their heritage and leave their families and animals there while they helped the rest of the Israelites conquer Canaan. (You can read the story in Numbers 32.)

While this decision made perfect sense from a farming standpoint, it was risky when considering the potential for attack from the east. While the rest of the tribes of Israel took up their heritages on the west side of the Jordan, these three groups remained on the east, making it more difficult to summon help if they were attacked. Being in such a vulnerable position meant that these tribes had to be ready to defend themselves. No wonder these tribes maintained 44,760 warriors. In the beginning, all was well because these tribes were depending on God to help them. But later, these tribes turned away from the God who had helped them and reaped a bitter reward. “They were mighty men of valor, famous men, and heads of their families. But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and they prostituted themselves with the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria) to take the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. And he brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.”

APPLICATION: Reuben lost his birthright for failing to discipline himself and for failing to honor his father. Undoubtedly, Reuben had all kinds of excuses, never realizing that his selfish act was to blight his descendants for generations to come. History is littered with examples of those who missed greatness or who forfeited greatness for lack of discipline. Alexander the Great died at the age of 31, perhaps during a drinking bout. When King Agrippa was questioning the Apostle Paul, he was so moved by Paul’s story that he told Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:28) Sadly, Agrippa remained in that spiritual state, continuing to worship Roman deities.

When the tribes of Reuben and Gad and Manasseh settled in the lands east of the Jordan, they had a wonderful chance at a new start. In the beginning, these tribes relied on God, and God helped them. The Reubenites even settled as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River. But this story has a tragic ending. Once these tribes began relying on themselves, they gave themselves wholly over to worship of pagan gods. In a few generations, the Assyrians collected them and sent them into exile into Assyria. The ten tribes captured by the Assyrians have been referred to as the lost tribes of Israel because once in Assyria, they never returned to Israel as tribal groups. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin who were captured by the Babylonians eventually re – settled Israel and rebuilt the temple in a much smaller form. Truly, the tragedy of Reuben continued for generations!

What can we gain from these stories? Even in Jesus’ day, there was a saying that “the fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” indicating that a wrong decision by a father can make trouble for his descendants. Perhaps part of the reason the Reubenites were willing to settle east of the Jordan was that they realized they would have no birthright on the west side.

God honored the decisions by the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half- tribe of Manasseh. As long as these tribes followed God, he protected them and helped them in battle. But that protection ended when these people became self – confident and forgot God. We must always remember that everything we are and have comes from God. St. Paul told the Greeks in the Areopagus: “In him we live, move, and have our being.”  (Acts 17:28)

Today is the only day any of us have to make decisions! Decide today that you will follow the One True Living God completely and that you will trust in the blood sacrifice made by his Son Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives! Help us to trust in the salvation that you offer when we believe in the blood sacrifice Jesus has made for our sins. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 4:1 – 42 “The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. Reaiah son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the clans of the Zorathites.

These were the sons of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. And their sister was named Hazzelelponi. Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah.

These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem. Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. Naarah bore to him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the descendants of Naarah. The sons of Helah were Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Zobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

The Prayer of Jabez

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, (meaning “pain” or “distress”) saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” (Other versions say, “So that I might not cause pain.”) And God granted the request of Jabez.

More Descendants of Judah

Chelub the brother of Shuhah was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. Eshton was the father of Beth-rapha, of Paseah, and of Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These were the men of Recah. The sons of Kenaz:

Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai. Meonothai was the father of Ophrah, and Seraiah was the father of Joab, the father of those living in Ge-harashim, which was given this name because its people were craftsmen. (This name means “Valley of craftsmen.”)

The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam. The son of Elah: Kenaz. The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. And Mered’s wife Bithiah gave birth  to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. These were the children of Pharaoh’s daughter Bithiah.  

Mered also took a Judean wife, who gave birth to Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.

The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and of Eshtemoa the Maacathite. The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon.

The descendants of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea, Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi-lehem. (These names are from ancient records.) These were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the service of the king.

The Descendants of Simeon

The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. The sons of Shaul: Shallum, Mibsam, and Mishma. The sons of Mishma: Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei. Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children, so their whole clan did not become as numerous as the sons of Judah. They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until the reign of David. And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan—five towns— and all their surrounding villages as far as Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record:

Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah (son of Seraiah, son of Asiel), Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and Ziza son of Shiphi (son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah).

These men listed by name were the leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, and they journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, in search of pasture for their flocks. There they found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful, and quiet; for some Hamites had lived there formerly.

These who were noted by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites and Meunites there in their dwellings, devoting them to destruction even to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. And five hundred of these Simeonites led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, went to Mount Seir and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.

So many names! So many families! Reading these lists can make you feel as if you are being stoned to death with popcorn or choked with trivia. But right in the midst of all this stuff, there is a wonderful gem, the Prayer of Jabez. This prayer has been translated two different ways with two very different meanings. First of all, consider the name “Jabez.” This name sounds very much like the Hebrew term for pain or distress, indicating that this man’s mother must have suffered greatly while giving birth to him. Names are critically important! Why did Jabez’s mother give him such a horrible name? Was Jabez an unusually big baby or did he have a face presentation or a breach presentation, making delivery difficult? Did Jabez’s mother blame this innocent baby for her suffering?

The Prayer of Jabez has been variously translated in these two fashions: “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” OR “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will not cause pain.” If we accept the first translation, we must consider that Jabez feared he would spend his life in pain because of his name. In giving such a name, Jabez’s mother was actually cursing him from the day she named him because she resented him for causing her pain and wished that Jabez would have pain for the rest of his life!

The alternative translation is also a good one. Having caused so much pain to his mother during his birth, Jabez is now begging God to help him so that he will not cause pain to others. While there is nothing wrong with asking God to enlarge our territories, we must consider the means by which that will happen. What should “enlarging my territory” look like? If God is in the doing, then God can enlarge your sphere of influence without causing pain to the innocent. But you cannot pray this prayer if you are demanding that you be protected from all suffering while others must suffer at your expense.

APPLICATION: What’s in a name? Quite a lot, as it turns out. When girls are named Grace or Joy, their parents are obviously wishing these attributes for them. Boys are frequently named for fathers or grandfathers with strong names such as John or James. Christian parents frequently name their children after beloved saints. Among the tribes in Ghana, children are given traditional names referring to God – God’s love, God’s faithfulness, God’s gift. But once in a while, we encounter names just as distressing as Jabez. Such names refer to trouble, death, and other terrible things. Some parents even give names borrowed from other tribes in hopes that sickness or death will somehow overlook their children.

What names are most important? Actually, there is one name for each of us that is more important than any other. Nearly two thousand years ago, God gave Saint John the visions that resulted in the Book of Revelations. In that Book, God gave specific messages to seven churches. To the church at Pergamum, God sent encouragement because they had kept the faith in the face of persecution. God said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.” While these messages were for those churches, they have been preserved because God uses them to speak to us today. Someday, each one of us will die. If we have chosen to follow Jesus Christ as Master and Savior, we will be with Him in heaven, and we will have new names that He will give us. Those are the names that are most important. Whatever names our parents have given us, even if they were not good ones, will not matter anymore. We will have new bodies and new names forever!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to surrender their lives to You, the One who loves them best and the only One who can give them an eternal name. In Your mighty and precious Name, Jesus. Amen.

1 Chronicles 3:1 – 24 “These were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second was Daniel by Abigail of Carmel; the third was Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah by Abital; and the sixth was Ithream by his wife Eglah. These six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months.

And David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. These four were born to him by Bathsheba daughter of Ammiel. David’s other sons were Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet—nine in all. These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.

The Descendants of Solomon

Solomon’s son was Rehoboam: Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, Amon his son, and Josiah his son.

The sons of Josiah: Johanan was the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second, Zedekiah the third, and Shallum the fourth.

The successors of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, and Zedekiah.

The Royal Line After the Exile

The descendants of Jeconiah the captive: Shealtiel his son, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The children of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, their sister Shelomith, and five others: Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed.

The descendants of Hananiah: Pelatiah, Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah, and of Shecaniah. The six descendants of Shecaniah were Shemaiah and his sons: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat.The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam—three in all. The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani—seven in all.

Knowing who their ancestors were was critically important to the Israelites. Most important of all was the burning question “Are you a royal? Can you trace your family all the way back to David?” This question became even more critical after both kingdoms went into exile, Israel into Assyria and Judah into Babylon. After Rehoboam took over as king of Israel, there were a number of different kings, some of whom ruled for only two or three months. Such ephemeral claims to royalty left the Israelites with no strong heritage from a single royal family; however, things were different in Judah, where David’s line continued to rule in some fashion until the Babylonians caried them off to Nineveh.

With very little else to feel proud about, the people of Judah clung to their heritage from David. Sadly, had these people been as concerned to love God as David did, they would never have been carried off into exile in the first place. Given the number of wives these men had, it’s quite likely that there were lots of “royals” running around who are never mentioned in these lists. Rather than pursuing righteousness, many of these people took refuge in their royal heritage to give them a sense of worth.

APPLICATION: Among the Gonjas of northern Ghana, one of the key questions is this: “Do you have marks?” Infants born to a traditional Gonja ruler are always given special scars on their faces to indicate their royal heritage. For the rest of their lives, no matter how poor or obscure these people are, they can proudly proclaim that they have marks, that they are royals.  

Things are no different in other places. Some women in America try to trace their families back to ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War so that they can belong to the DAR, the Daughters of the American Revolution. We all long for significance in some fashion.

In 1 Peter 2:9 God tells us, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated/holy nation, God’s special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” If we are followers of the Living God, we have no need of facial marks or of any other physical signs to indicate that we are His. Our behavior, our conduct, will advertise our dedication to God more surely than will anything else.

1 John 3:1 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the children of God.” Those of us who worship God and who follow Him have become royals, not of our own doing, but because of the great mercy and love that God has shown us. Knowing that we have this heritage, we have no need to be ashamed of our earthly family members, for we have a heavenly family and a Heavenly Father. Even if our earthly fathers have failed or even wounded us, our Heavenly Father loves us and will be with us forever.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives, that when we die, we may be with You forever. We ask this in the mighty and matchless Name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.