Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

May 14th Not Just a Little Country Church

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 23 – 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 19 – 20; Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 61:1 – 3

Read the “0514 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “The Hope of the Future.”

“(3) Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. (4) Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: (5) Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.” (1 Chronicles 23:3-5)

Here in chapters 23 – 25 of 1 Chronicles (and continuing into chapter 26), we see the final days of David before his death as he transfers the Kingdom of Israel over to his son Solomon. The particular discussion in these four chapters was the organizational structure of the Levites who would serve in what would eventually be the Temple in Jerusalem. The actual Temple would not be complete for a few years, but the Ark of the Covenant was in Jerusalem (in a tent), while the remainder of the Tabernacle was still in Gibeon. 

Did you notice the number of people that were involved in the worship system of Israel? Sometimes when I picture in my mind the Old Testament Temple, I envision just a few people working within the house of God; but, notice that there were 38,000 full-time ministers employed in the service of the Lord. This was quite an elaborate operation, including ministers, scribes, administrators, financiers, custodians, maintenance and repairmen, musicians and singers, and security workers. All of these people and all of the various duties had to be organized, administrated, financed, and scheduled. I have a tough enough time trying to administrate a few part-time staff members and a small group of volunteers.

One thought that God challenged me with from this passage is that the work of God must be done orderly and efficiently, whether it is a small country church with a staff of a few volunteers, or a large organization with many full-time employees. My pastor in Texas used to say, “God’s church should be the best run organization in town.” He was right. All too often, churches are poorly administrated and maintained, which does not reflect the Lord well within the community. Administration is a very important aspect of the ministry within a local church. Administrators provide the structure so that the ministers will have what they need to efficiently do their job. When a church is small, the pastor is the chief administrator and also performs many of the other duties necessary for a church to function. However, as the church grows, people need to be spiritually matured and specifically trained to serve in all of the areas needed to effectively minister to the congregation and community. Every job is equally important.The guy who helps park cars is just as much a minister to the church as the one who teaches an adult Bible study. 

May 13th Fake News

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 19 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 17 – 18; Psalms 61 – 65; Proverbs 13)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 55:17

Read the “0513 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “The Place of Sacrifice“; and “Get Busy.“

“(2) And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. (3) But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?” (1 Chronicles 19:2-3)

In our passage today, we read about some “fake news” that initiated a war between Israel and the people of Ammon. Nahash, the king of Ammon who was a friend to David, had died. David wanted to send his condolences to Hanun, the deceased king’s son. David sent some ambassadors into the land of Ammon to pay David’s respects to Hanun. Unfortunately, Hanun’s counselors misinterpreted David’s intentions. They thought David sent the men into Ammon to spy out the land for a future conquest. This simply was not true – it was fake news. The Ammonites humiliated the servants of David and sent them back into Israel, naked and with their beards cut off. This “fake news” originating from some wicked men in Ammon ended up causing a war between Israel and Ammon, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of men. 

We are living in a day where we are literally bombarded with information, coming at us from every direction and perspective. Unfortunately, much of the news we are receiving is at best slanted, or, at worst, totally false. The catch phrase of the day is “fake news.” The official definition of the term would probably be any news that is not true. In today’s culture, though, “fake news” is probably any information that I don’t agree with or like. We see it on the news channels every day. Social media is also replete with “fake news.” People are duped every day into believing (and reposting) some of the most outrageous claims, without making any attempt to verify whether or not they are true. Some of these lies, or exaggerations, are silly and fairly harmless, but others can be very serious, and cause a great deal of damage.

Thoughts from the Passage 

1. An Act Motivated by Kindness (vs. 1 – 2)

David’s act was completely out of a pure motive. He was just trying to be kind to Hanun because his dad died. His dad was a friend to David. “A Jewish tradition tells us that Nahash, Hanun’s father, had shown kindness to David by sheltering one of his brothers, when the king of Moab treacherously massacred the rest of the family.”^[1]

2. Advice from Misguided Counselors (v. 3)

Hanun listened to bad advice. The Bible says, “in the multitude of counsellors, there is safety” (Proverbs 14:12), but you need to make sure those counselors are godly counselors. 

See 1 Kings 12:1 – 17 – Rehoboam listened to the wrong counselors. 

Be careful about judging things that you cannot see:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthew 7:1-2)

We cannot see people’s motives, and we cannot see inside of people’s hearts. We can only see their actions. There was nothing wrong with the actions of David and his men, but Hanun’s men misjudged their motivations.

Be careful about “imaginations.” 

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Sometimes our minds will tell us things that the facts do not support.

Illustration – I have been blessed by not really listening to all of the voices out there on social media and in the news feeds. I go on Facebook to broadcast our services and prayer meetings, but I haven’t been reading too much of what’s on there. As a result, I am a little less informed as many of you, but I am also a little less stressed out. 

3. Action of a Mistaken King (v. 4)

Because of Hanun’s lack of judgment, he now commits a foolish and antagonistic act.

4. An Aggravating of Matters by the Hiring of Confederates (vs. 5 – 6)

Hunan now makes a further miscalculation by hiring an army of other nations to come help him. 

5. David’s Answer – a Mighty Conquest (vs. 7 – 19)

Up until now, David has not done anything in retaliation, and probably would not have. But, when Hanun builds this army from other nations, David has to do something. 

Conclusion

Hanun listened to some “Fake News” and it resulted in the loss of his kingdom. Be careful that you don’t get caught up in all of the fake news that is going on around you.

Christians, we need to be very careful that we are not “sucked in” to believing all of these unsubstantiated stories that are flying around in the airwaves and on the world-wide web. And, we need to be especially mindful that we do not participate in the furthering of “fake news.” God’s people are supposed to be people of the Truth. If you absolutely feel compelled to share something with others, share the Bible with them. The Word of God is always true. 

Be careful who and what you listen to. Be careful what you say. Don’t be a source of fake news.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

^[1] F. B. Meyer, Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary, vol. 2 (Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1914–1918), 109.

May 12th Preparing for the Next Generation

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 16 – 18 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 15 – 16; Psalms 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 51

Read the “0512 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “Check With God First;” and “Taking Time to Rejoice.”

“Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:” (1 Chronicles 17:4)

The thought for this morning’s devotion was derived from the today’s reading as well as what is discussed in chapter twenty-two. It was David’s desire to build a permanent structure to house the Ark of the Covenant and all of the other items that were previously part of the worship of the Lord in the Tabernacle. David had already moved the ark into Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:1), but the rest of the Tabernacle was still at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39). God did not permit David to build Him a Temple, however (1 Chronicles 17:4), but that didn’t stop David from doing everything that He could in order to make sure his son Solomon and all of the others in that next generation would have everything that they needed in order for them to build a place to worship the Lord. Even though David would not personally experience and enjoy the final product, he worked tirelessly so that his children would.

There are three thoughts that I would like to consider regarding this passage:

1. David had a good attitude when God told him “No.”

“(16) And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? (17) And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.” (1 Chronicles 17:16-17)

In fact, though David could not personally build God the house that he wanted to for the Lord, God tells David that He is going to build David a house. Not a physical place to live, but a lineage of children and grandchildren that were going to sit on the throne in Jerusalem forever. The Lord Jesus Himself would physically descend from David through His mother Mary (Luke 3), and legally through His earthly guardian Joseph (Matthew 1).

2. David continued to fight the Lord’s battles so that the next generation would not have to.

Chapter eighteen is all about David conquering the enemy nations that posed a threat to the peace and safety of Israel. And, as David won these victories, he collected the spoils of war: gold, silver, and more, which would be put in the treasury in Jerusalem and then could be used as building materials in the future Temple.

3. David continued to plan and prepare for the Temple.

We are not there yet in the reading, but if you skip ahead to chapter twenty-two, you will see that David got everything ready, including his son Solomon, so that when he passed off the scene, the Temple could be built.

David worked very hard so that the next generation could have what he would never have. I find that type of sacrifice is missing in our culture today. It seems that many today are just interested in taking what they can today, often at the expense of the next generation. Our government is continually multiplying our national debt, which will have to be paid back by our children and grandchildren. What a shame. We ought to be working to pay off that debt and then build up a surplus as David did so that the next generation could enjoy it and then also build upon it for their children.

How about you? What are you doing today that will make the world a better place for your children and grandchildren? Let’s strive to leave behind something that will help the future generations fulfill God’s will for their lives.

May 11th When the Going Get’s Tough …

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 13 – 15 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 13 – 14; Psalms 51 – 55; Proverbs 11)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 48:1 & 2

Read the “0511 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “God’s Will – God’s Way;” and “Obededom – A Doorkeeper for the Lord.”

“Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.” (1 Chronicles 15:28)

It is never easy to pick up the pieces and keep moving forward after blowing it “big time.” The natural reaction to failure is to just go hide under a rock somewhere and quit. That is exactly what David probably wanted to do after failing to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem the first time; a failure by the way which resulted in the death of an innocent man – Uzza.

The background to the story is complicated, but basically what had happened was that the ark of God had been taken in previous years by the Philistines in a battle they fought with Israel. The Philistines received the judgment of God because of it, so they returned it to Israel. For years the ark remained in Kirjath-jearim, but when David became king he wanted to bring the ark to Jerusalem (See 1 Samuel 4 & 5). David’s first attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem is recorded in 1 Chronicles 13. There we see David with all good intentions and excitement because he believes that he is doing something that the Lord would be pleased with. David may have been doing what God wanted done; the problem was, however, he was not doing it the way that God had instructed. The ark of God was supposed to be transported by the Levites in a very specific way:

“[4] This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: [5] And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: [6] And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. … [15] And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.” (Numbers 4:4-6, 15)

When David moved the ark in 1 Chronicles 13, he placed the ark on a “new cart,” which may at first sound like a great way to honor the Lord and His ark, but it was not the way that God wanted it done. It was supposed to be carried by the Levites. When the oxen that were pulling the cart stumbled and the cart wobbled, Uzza did what any of us would probably do, he put his hands on the ark to keep it from falling off of the cart. God was very upset because nobody was supposed to touch the ark. Even the Levites were forbidden to actually put their hands on the ark itself; they were only permitted to touch the staves (or rods) that were inserted into the loops on the ark. The result of Uzza’s (and David’s) error was that Uzza was killed by God. The fault for Uzza’s death, however, lay more with David and the Levites who should have known better. They blew it.

David failed, and his failure resulted in the death of a good man. That would have been enough to cause many a good man to quit trying to serve God at all, but David took some time to recover, and got back up and tried again to get it right, and this time He was successful. He instructs the Levites to carry the ark as prescribed by Moses in the Law, and they get the ark to Jerusalem where it belongs:

“[1] And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. [2] Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. … [13] For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. [14] So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. [15] And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 15:1-2, 13-15)

The point of this article is simple: don’t quit. You are going to fail and will probably do so often. The only people that do not fail are people who do not do anything. Also, your failure may hurt other people who are completely innocent. Bad decisions often have horrible consequences. You will want to run and hide, but you must eventually get back up and keep doing what you need to do. Take some time to prayerfully reevaluate what went wrong, but if you know that what you are trying to do is the will of God, try again, but this time be sure to do it God’s way. “The tough keep going.” Good leaders are not people who do not ever fail, they just do not allow their failures to keep them from trying to succeed again.

May 10th The Saturday Morning Post – What Would You Do For Your King?

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 11 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 11 – 12; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Read the “0510 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD, And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.” (1Chronicles 11:17-19)

Good morning. Many of you know, me and Camille live in an RV. During the winter, we have to chase warmer weather. Well, in October of 2024, we arrived in Quartzsite, Arizona. Our first time in the desert. It was near 117 degrees. That’s hot, but without the humidity of New Jersey. In that heat, you start to evaporate. You get thirsty, and drink lots of water to stay hydrated. It can get hot in Israel. Galilee, and the southern region, can reach 104 degrees, while the desert areas can climb to over 110 degrees. That is hot, and you will get thirsty…

King David was thirsty. He told those around him how much he longed to drink the water from the well at Bethlehem. Three of his mighty men heard this. The three loved their king: they wanted to serve him, and please him. They left the safety of their camp, broke through the Philistine guard at the gate to Bethlehem. Quickly they drew the water from the well, and quickly they returned to king David. They put their lives in jeopardy to please their king. These things did these three mightiest.

The King of Kings was thirsty, and everyone in the sound of His voice knew that Jesus longed for something to drink…

“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:28-30)

Vinegar was used to quench your thirst in the time of Jesus. How many times have we tried to please our Saviour by giving Him vinegar to drink?

Remember Jesus and the woman at the well? He asked her for a drink of water…

“Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:6-10)

Jesus will give us Living Water, and all we need do is ask. What would you do for your King?

Peace.

May 10th Just a Cup of Cold Water

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 11 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 11 – 12; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 47:1

Read the “0510 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “God Spotted Him First“ and “Double Heart.”

“And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,” (1 Chronicles 11:17-18)

Today’s passage reveals all of the mighty men that labored and served alongside of David, both before and after he became king. These men were with him as he was on the run and hiding from King Saul, and they continued to serve with him as he was given the kingdom of Judah, and then later when he became king over all of Israel. These men were faithful to David and to the Lord, and because they were in the will of God fighting the Lord’s battles, God blessed them mightily. It is amazing to see what these men were able to do in God’s strength.

Verses fifteen through nineteen tell a strange story regarding when David and his men were fighting against the Philistines. The likely account of this battle is found in 2 Samuel 5:17 – 21 and is the first victory David had after being made king over all of Israel. David was “in the hold,” the cave of Adullam, and he had enemy forces entrenched around him in the Valley of Rephaim. He makes a strange request, probably to no-one particularly; he was likely just thinking out loud. He expressed his wish for some of the water from the well back home in Bethlehem. He wasn’t asking or expecting that somebody would actually do it, he was just longing for some of that good water back home. Maybe there was no fresh or good water where he was, who knows.

Three of his faithful men, however, hear David’s request, and risk their lives to make it happen. David is doubtless shocked that these men would do this for him, but he is also very appreciative of their love for him. He does not accept the gift, but rather “poured it out to the Lord,” as an offering. I often wondered why David would not take the gift, especially after his men risk their lives to give it to him. However, David wasn’t about to enjoy that good water while the rest of his men were thirsty. He recognized his unworthiness for the gift, and he offered it instead to the Lord. This is reminiscent of Uriah the Hittite, who would not go to enjoy the company of his wife while the rest of Israel’s army was out fighting a battle (See 2 Samuel 11:11 – 13).

There are two thoughts from this passage that I would like to share. First, I appreciate these men who took great risks to express their love and devotion to their king. David was their leader, and he was the one whom God had chosen to be the king. And he was a good king. He loved his people, and served right alongside of his men. Our King is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we ought to be willing to do anything to please Him. But, we also ought to get better at expressing our appreciation for the people who are important to us. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many found creative ways to express their thanks to all of the necessary workers, especially those health care workers who were at the highest risk of contracting the virus. It is interesting that Jesus actually used the illustration of giving a cup of cold water as being deserving of a reward (See Matthew 10:42).

My second thought concerns David’s reluctance to take the gift. There are many leaders of men who would have selfishly demanded a lot more than just a drink of water. They see themselves as better than other men, deserving of more honor. They expect others to serve them, but are reluctant to be “servant leaders” themselves. David didn’t see himself this way. He considered himself completely unworthy of all that God had done for him. You and I are completely unworthy of all of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us as well.

May 9th The Death of Saul

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 9 – 10 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 9 – 10; Psalm 41 – 45; Proverbs 9)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:6

Read the “0509 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “Who are the Nethinims?“ and “Too Big for His Britches.“

“13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)

“19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19)

Chapter nine concluded the genealogical chapters of 1 Chronicles. Beginning in chapter ten, the historical narrative portion of the book dealing with the kingdom of David begins. The chapters that remain in this book as well as 2 Chronicles all contain information that is covered also in some of the other historical books of the Bible. For example, 1 Chronicles 10 discusses the death of Saul and his three sons and this information is also given in 1 Samuel 31. The information in the following chapters in 1st and 2nd Chronicles can also be seen in 2 Samuel and 1st and 2nd Kings. There is a lot of overlap, but as was pointed out in a previous post, much of the information in Chronicles is unique, meaning that it contains some information that the other historical books exclude. If you were to really do a deep dive into any of the events contained in the remaining chapters of 1st and 2nd Chronicles, you would need to compare what Chronicles has to say with the other historical passages that deal with them also. The event discussed here in 1 Chronicles 10 can also be found in 1 Samuel 31:1 – 13. Note – if you follow along on Blue Letter Bible (see link above), you will notice that links are provided for the parallel passages.

It is important to note that outside of three mentions of Saul within the genealogical section of 1 Chronicles (chapters 1 – 9), chapter ten is the only chapter that discusses Israel’s first king, and then only speaks of his death. 1 Samuel, however, devotes many chapters to King Saul. The books of the Chronicles are primarily focused on David and his descendants who will occupy the throne of a united Israel and then following the split within the kingdom, the kings that sit on the throne of the southern kingdom of Judah.

Regarding the reasons given here in the chapter for Saul’s death, besides the fact that he was killed in a battle with the Philistines, the Bible states plainly that God was responsible for Saul’s death. The Philistines could not have gotten near Saul had God not permitted it. Saul’s usefulness as king had run its course. David later encouraged his son Solomon regarding the guarantee of God’s protection as long as he was fulfilling God’s will:

“20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:20)

According to 1 Chronicles 10:13 – 14, Saul was not fulfilling the will of God. Two examples are mentioned in the passage. The first was when Saul ignored what God had told him to do with the Amalekites (see 1 Samuel 15). He was ordered by God to destroy all of them, including the women and children, and even all the livestock that they owned. Granted, for any sane man possessing compassion for people, this would be a difficult order to obey. No normal person wants to kill the innocent and even though nobody is entirely innocent before God, children are certainly more innocent than the adult male Amalekites who were responsible for God’s wrath. Saul disobeyed God, not out of compassion for the people or pity upon the animals, but for political reasons. He spared the king and saved the best of the livestock, which he stated would be used for sacrifices. The prophet Samuel confronted Saul about his failure to obey. He told Saul: “… thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:26).

The second reason given in the passage for God’s judgment on Saul was because Saul consulted a witch in order to talk to the prophet Samuel, who had already died (see 1 Samuel 28). God had long since stopped speaking to Saul (1 Samuel 28:6), and the prophet Samuel was gone, so Saul resorted to witchcraft so that he could get advice from the grave. God did allow Samuel to appear to Saul, not because of the witch’s power, but because God would use this scenario to reveal to Saul that he was about to die, and that David would be succeeding him as king. What happened to Saul here in 1 Chronicles 10 was exactly what God told Saul would happen through this event regarding the witch and Samuel :

“15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 28:15-19)

What happened to Saul was a real shame. He started out humble and dependent upon the Lord, but eventually became very prideful and insecure. He was far more concerned what the people thought about him than he did the will of God. His pride destroyed not only destroyed him but negatively affected his family for generations to come. 

May 5th Why We Should Read the Genealogical Passages

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 1 – 2 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 1 – 2; Psalms 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46

Read the “0505 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read a previous post from today’s passage – “His Name is Mudd”

“1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, 3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. … 28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. 29 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,” (1 Chronicles 1:1-4, 28-29)

“12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, 13 And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, 14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:” (1 Chronicles 2:12-15)

“17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.” (1 Chronicles 5:17)

The words “genealogy” or “genealogies” are found only twenty-four times in the Bible and fifteen of those times are in the two Books of the Chronicles, which is full of genealogical records of many people associated with Israel’s history but primary they trace the lineages of the kings of Judah. It is really a miniature of Israel’s history from Creation through the Babylonian and Persian captivity period. The temptation is to skip over these passages of Scripture as they tend to be dry reading without a lot of excitement but that would be a mistake as there is a lot that can be gleaned from these passages.

The Books of the Chronicles were originally combined together into one book. The name of the book means “annals” or “happenings of the days.” The author of the book is not named but is traditionally thought to have been Ezra the priest who compiled his information from prophetic records, such as the Books of Samuel and other official records of Israel. It had to have been written after the Babylonian captivity and after about 450 BC. Although there is considerable overlap from Chronicles with the Books of Samuel and Kings, there is also much new material. According to MacArthur:

Over 55 percent of the material in Chronicles is unique, i.e., not found in 2 Samuel or 1 and 2 Kings. The “chronicler” tended to omit what was negative or in opposition to the Davidic kingship; on the other hand, he tended to make unique contributions in validating temple worship and the line of David. Whereas 2 Kings 25 ends dismally with the deportation of Judah to Babylon, 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 concludes hopefully with the Jews’ release from Persia and return to Jerusalem.^[1]

The purpose of 1st and 2nd Chronicles was to remind the returning remnant from Israel of both the successes and failures of their past. The successes came when they were obedient to the Lord. These books also served to encourage Israel regarding the wonderful promises regarding their future that God had given them and would surely fulfill.

Why Should We Not Skip Over These Genealogical Passages?

• Though these passages contain many names that are unknown to us, they are not unknown to God and to the people who are concerned about history. 

God knows all of these people intimately. That serves to remind us that God knows us intimately. God not only knows our names, but He knows everything about us, even the seemingly insignificant details. Jesus said:

“7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.“ (Luke 12:7; also Matthew 10:30)

• The People of Israel were very concerned with remembering, revering, and learning from the previous generations.

The contemporary culture does not seem to be overly concerned with history, or even just remembering and revering the generations that immediately preceded them. We can learn a lot from both the successes and failures of the previous generations. The Apostle Paul admonished the Church at Corinth to learn from the recorded history of their forefathers. He said:

“6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. … 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11-13)

Our forefathers got some things right and we ought to appreciate that. They also got some things wrong and we need to learn a lesson from their mistakes. By the way – don’t be too hard on the previous generations for the things they got wrong. Give them some grace and then maybe the next generation may give you some grace as well for your mistakes.

• In these genealogical passages there are many little nuggets of truth. Nestled within these seemingly endless names are truths that cannot be found elsewhere in the Bible. The example that comes to mind is the passage about Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:

“9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

• These passages also contained technical information that help us understand the connections between people dealt with in the more familiar portions of the Bible.

For example, 1 Chronicle 2:16 and 17, we learn that David had sisters, named Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah had three sons (David’s nephews), Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Each of these play an important part within David’s kingdom. Abigail had a son named Amasa who also is an important historical figure. Amasa was actually killed by his cousin Joab. Knowing from Chronicles the familial ties enriches the understanding of the history.

Don’t skip over the genealogical passages. Pray and ask God to reveal a truth to you from these passages that will help you as you serve Him today. This whole devotion started out with a prayer and a rather dry and sometimes tedious reading from the first two chapters in 1 Chronicles.

^[1] John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 563–564.

May 3rd The Saturday Morning Post – The Words Of This Book

Today’s Reading – 2 Kings 20 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – Luke 21 – 22; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)

Read the “0503 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” (2Kings 22:8-13)

“In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book.” – Abraham Lincoln

The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts. – John Jay – First Chief-Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Education is useless without the Bible. The Bible was America’s basic text book in all fields. God’s Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct. – Noah Webster

Good morning. Have you seen the news this morning? Don’t bother, it’s all bad. Just 11 years ago we saw fathers suffocating crying babies so they can play video games. Two Alaskan police officers killed by a teen. Home invasions, murder, rape; what is this world coming to? The end.

According to 2Kings 22:2 , King Josiah did what was right before the Lord without wavering. Then the Scriptures were found while repair work was being made on the temple. Upon hearing the Scripture read, Josiah tore his clothes; his nation was in trouble with the Lord. Why? He was doing what was right before the Lord, walking in His ways, wasn’t he? Why would the Lord be angry with Judah?

“…because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” (2Kings 22:13)

Today, in America, sin is running rampant. Look at the quotes by three of our early leaders, and what they said about the Word of God. Things have changed. Maybe we need to rent our clothes, drop to our knees, and humble ourselves before God or has America fallen too far? Josiah was concerned with doing right, when confronted by the Word of God he could see the corruption of the past kings would evoke the wrath of God. Josiah humbled himself before the Almighty God, and God told him, he would die in peace. Is there still time for America? Jesus said…

“…with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

And to quote another great American…

“It ain’t over till it’s over.” – Yogi Berra

There is always hope through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is written in the Words of this Book – The Bible.

Peace.

Apr 26th The Saturday Morning Post – Precious

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 7 – 8; Proverbs 26; Psalms 126 – 130

Read the “0426 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.” (2Kings 1:13-15)

Good morning. King Ahaziah was on his death bed. He sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub (his name means lord of the flies). I like what Wikipedia has to say: “Jewish scholars have interpreted the title of “Lord of Flies” as the Hebrew way of calling Ba’al a pile of dung and comparing Ba’al followers to flies.”

Needless to say, that is who Ahaziah sent messengers to ask if he would recover. The messengers met Elijah on the way, who told them to tell the king he would not recover, but die. Upon hearing this, Ahaziah sent a captain and his fifty men to take Elijah and bring him to him. Ahaziah had to do this three times being that the first two came and ordered Elijah to come down in the name of the king: them and their fifties were burnt up with the fire of God from Heaven. The third captain had an attitude change. He cared for the fifty men put under his charge, and humbled himself before the man of God. He saw that the other two before him were consumed by the fire…

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

“The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.” (Proverbs 19:23)

Fear is a good feeling to have. And with the fear of the LORD is wisdom and life. I was reminded of a passage in Hebrews…

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:23-31)

Even Jesus warned…

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

[Something to notice here: Jesus said body and soul: not spirit. If you are not saved, your spirit is already dead and has been dead since you were conceived. You must be born again to have spirit quickened (given life) by the Holy Spirit.]

The third captain of the fifties asked for mercy from the man of God for himself and his men. He may have went there with the same attitude as the first two captains, but after seeing the two burn marks on the ground he changed his attitude, and humbled himself: he received mercy. God told Elijah it was okay, there was no need to fear. And he went with the third captain to the King Ahaziah and delivered the Word of God in person.

You are precious to God…

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

You were worth enough for God to leave His throne in Heaven, and be crucified, receiving the punishment for your sins. Sometimes, as Christians, we need to be reminded of this. For those who never received Christ, or are trusting some religion, you need to know this…

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20)

One day we will all stand before God to give an account. Isaiah said our righteousness is as filthy rags. We can not get to Heaven with our own righteousness. The Bible says…

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

And…

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Corinthians 5:17-21)

We need the righteousness of God. There is no way we can work our way to Heaven…

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We need Jesus, and Him alone…

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18)

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

Why would God the Son leave Heaven, be born of a virgin, be crucified, and then raise from the grave in triumph? Because you are precious.

Peace.