I Chronicles 16
After worship service David gave gifts to peopleverses 1-3
So they brought the ark of God
and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it
and they offered burnt sacrifices
and peace offerings before God
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering
and the peace offerings – he blessed the people
in the name of the LORD
and he dealt to every one of Israel – both man and woman
to every one – a loaf of bread – a good piece of flesh
a flagon of wine
Worship leaders chosen by Davidverses 4-6
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the
ark of the LORD – to record
to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel
Asaph the chief – and next to him Zechariah – Jeiel
Shemiramoth – Jehiel – Mattithiah – Eliab
Benaiah – Obed-edom
Jeiel with psalteries and with harps
but Asaph made a sound with cymbals
Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests
with trumpets continually before the
ark of the covenant of God
Psalm of David for this special serviceverse 7
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm
to thank the LORD
into the hand of Asaph and his brethren
Stanza one: Praise the LORD for HIS worksverses 8-13
Give thanks to the LORD – call upon HIS name
make know HIS deeds among the people
Sing to HIM – sing psalms to HIM
talk you of all HIS wondrous works
Glory you in HIS holy name
let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD
Seek the LORD and HIS strength
seek HIS face continually
Remember HIS marvelous works that HE has done
HIS wonders – and the judgments of HIS mouth
O you seed of Israel HIS servant – you children of Jacob
HIS chosen ones
Stanza two: Praise the LORD for HIS covenantverses 14-18
HE is the LORD our God
HIS judgments are in all the earth
Be you mindful always of HIS covenant
the word which HE commanded
to a thousand generations
even of the covenant which HE made with Abraham
and of HIS oath unto Isaac
and has confirmed the same to Jacob for a law
and to Israel for an everlasting covenant
saying
To you will I give the land of Canaan
the lot of your inheritance
Stanza three: Praise the LORD for HIS choosing Israelverses 19-22
When you were but few – even a few – and strangers in it
when they went from nation to nation
and from one kingdom to another people
HE suffered no man to do them wrong – YEA
HE reproved kings for their sakes
saying
Touch not MINE anointed – do MY prophets no harm
Stanza four: Praise the LORD for HIS creationverses 23-27
Sing to the LORD all the earth
show forth from day to day HIS salvation
Declare HIS glory among the heathen
HIS marvelous works among all nations
For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
HE also is to be feared above all gods
for all the gods of the people are idols
BUT the LORD made the heavens
Glory and honor are in HIS presence
strength and gladness are in HIS place
Stanza five: Praise the LORD and worship HIMverses 28-30
Give to the LORD – you kindreds of the peoples
give unto the LORD glory and strength
Give to the LORD the glory due to HIS name
bring an offering – and come before HIM
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness
Fear before HIM – all the earth
the world also shall be stable – that it be not moved
Stanza six: Let Creation praise the LORDverses 31-33
Let the heavens be glad – and let the earth rejoice
let men say among the nations
The LORD REIGNS
Let the sea roar – and the fullness thereof
let the fields rejoice – and all that is therein
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out
at the presence of the LORD
BECAUSE HE comes to judge the earth
Stanza seven: Praise the LORD for HIS protectionverses 34-35
O give thanks to the LORD – for HE is good
for HIS mercy endures for ever
And say you – Save us – O God of our salvation
gather us together – and deliver us from the heathen
that we may give thanks to YOUR holy name
and glory in YOUR praise
Praise the Everlasting LORDverse 36
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever
and all the people said
Amen – and praised the LORD
David arranged for future service in Templeverses 37-38
So he left there before
the ark of the covenant of the LORD
Asaph and his brethren – to minister before the ark continually
as every day’s work required
and Obed-edom with their brethren
threescore and eight
Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters
David assigned priests at Gibeonverses 39-42
Zadok the priest – and his brethren the priests
before the tabernacle of the LORD
in the high place that was at Gibeon
to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the
burnt offering continually morning and evening
to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD
which HE commanded Israel
And with them Neman and Jeduthun – and the rest that were chosen
who were expressed by name – to give thanks to the LORD
BECAUSE HIS mercy endures for ever
And with them Herman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals
for those that should make a sound
and with musical instruments of God
And the sons of Jeduthun were porters
Everyone returned to their home after celebrationverse 43
And all the people departed every man to his house
and David returned to bless his house
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. (2505 “dealt” [chalaq] means to divide, apportion, distribute, share with, to separate something into parts or portions for people or groups of people, or obtain one’s share)
DEVOTION: David called everyone to a worship service to honor the LORD. He set up the offering of sacrifice to the LORD. They had a genuine time of worship and then when the service was over he sent them home with something to eat as well.
They had spiritual food and physical food after attending the dedication of the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem. This was a special occasion which deserved a special type of service.
Gifts were given to encourage the people as they left to realize that the LORD wanted them to not only have a spiritual time with HIM but a understanding that HE was going to also provide for the people physically.
This needs to be true even today. We need to make sure that we don’t send anyone home from a worship service that has a special physical need that can be met by the congregation. We are not to let the people leave with just statements of interest like it was stated by our LORD through James 2: 15,16: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say unto them, “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; not withstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit?”
We need be genuine in our concern for those who attend our churches. There will always be individual who are looking for a handout in a local church and we should use wisdom when we give but we should be a local body of believers who should fault on being too generous rather than being known for not being willing to help those who are in need.
Do you think every man and woman in the congregation attending David’s ceremony all needed the food that was provided? Some of them probably gave their food to others who they knew needed more than they did.
CHALLENGE: Share your wealth with others. God will bless a giving church.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth, show forth from day to day HIS salvation. (7891 “sing” [shiyr] means to sing along with words, continually sing, sing a song, or use the voice as an instrument to voice)
DEVOTION: David wrote this psalm especially for this time period of dedication of the coming of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. This was sung with musical instruments so there was music to these words. The people must have heard the Levites playing the music and others singing the words so that they could learn a new song before they leave this dedication service.
The words are important as they were given as a history lesson as well as praise to the LORD for all that HE had done for the nation in the past and was going to do for the nation in the future. The testimony of the people was going to be spread though the people leaving this service and singing this song on their way home.
David wanted the whole world to know who Jehovah was and what HE was doing for HIS chosen people. All the people were to sing about the LORD everywhere they went.
They were to proclaim the “GOOD NEWS” of HIS deliverance of the children of Israel from their enemies. They were to proclaim this truth every day not just on special days. Everyone was to know just how great a God the children of Israel were serving.
This is true today. We need to be singing HIS praise seven days a week. We need to make sure people know that we have been delivered from sin and promised a place in heaven because we have made a total commitment to the LORD.
It is not just a one day a week commitment to the LORD it is a total surrender to serve HIM seven days a week. Too often we have individuals who feel their duty is done one hour a week and they can do as they please the rest of the week that is not the teaching of the Word of God. It is a seven day a week twenty-four hour a day commitment to please the LORD.
What are you doing day by day to show people that you are a genuine believer in this truth regarding your commitment to the LORD?
CHALLENGE: Are you showing people that you are totally committed to the LORD 24 x 7?
: 27 Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. (2304 “gladness” [chedvah] means joy, rejoicing, or state of happiness)
DEVOTION: We have a problem in some of the places that call themselves places of worship of the LORD. Worship involved a giving of ourselves to the LORD. When David gathered the people together to worship the LORD it was a celebration of praise.
Some of the places that say they worship our Savior Jesus Christ are not really praising the LORD. Some are just places where people gather to do their duty. Some of the places are just used as social networking. Some of the places never open the Bible.
Now where the Bible is opened and a Biblical sermon is preached there should also be great singing.
In this portion of Scripture we find the children of Israel worshiping the LORD with a psalm that David had written for the occasion. He wrote many psalms in his lifetime.
The service was full of music and singing. It was a time of rejoicing over what the LORD was doing for the nation. It was a time for the people to enter into the presence of the LORD.
David is full of joy because the ark of the LORD is in Jerusalem. He conducted a celebration. He gave gifts to the people. He sent them home happy.
This psalm compliments the LORD. The psalm tells us to sing to the LORD. This psalm tells us the greatness of the LORD. This psalm tells us to praise the LORD. This psalm tells us to thank the LORD for all our blessings. The LORD is beautiful in HIS holiness. The LORD is good. When we become a follower of the LORD, we realize that there are many battles that we are going to face. In spite of the battles, we can have joy. We can live in the state of joy in the worst of circumstances.
The LORD is the creator of the universe. In the presence of the LORD is joy. If we are practicing the disciplines of the faith we should be in the presence of the LORD daily. If we are in the presence of the LORD daily, we should have joy, no matter what our circumstances may be.
Is this true of most Christians? Is it true of us? Are we in the state of joy on a regular basis? Should we be?
When you enter your local church are you there to celebrate all that the LORD has done for you? Does the church present a challenging message from the LORD? Do you leave knowing that you have been in the presence of the LORD?
CHALLENGE: Make your presence in your local church one that is a blessing to all those you come in contact with during the services. Encourage those around you to sing praises to the LORD. Give joyfully to the LORD. HE will bless you for your faithful worship of HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 30 Fear before HIM all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. (3559 “stable” [kuwn] means to prepare, make ready, to erect, set up, to determine, fix, to be set up or founded, be firm, or steadfast)
DEVOTION: If the world would stand firm in their worship of the LORD it would not be moved in the wrong direction. God wants HIS people to worship HIM in spirit and in truth. This was not only true in the Old Testament but is true today.
Our worship needs to be genuine when we worship the LORD each Sunday or throughout the week. HE wants our hearts to be full of joy because HE is there to refresh us each day with HIM presence in our lives.
This happens when we genuinely realize that HE cares about everything that is happening in the lives of HIS people not only in the Old Testament but in the New as well. HE is with us every day to help us with each challenge HE allows in our lives.
Our genuine fear of HIM is necessary for this to happen. HE is the only TRUE God in this world. HE wants us to understand this face and to genuinely worship HIM in spirit and in truth.
The saints of the Old Testament understood this fact at times but they had periods of time where they didn’t worship HIM in the right way and HE had to judge them for this. This is also true today as those who claim to be followers of HIM are not faithful in their worship not only on Sunday but throughout the week.
Are we the type of people who are only Sunday Christians or are we those who worship HIM seven days a week with our daily study of HIS Word the Bible? Is our prayer life one that is pleasing to HIM? Do we genuinely ask for things that we need that will help us serve HIM better?
CHALLENGE: Our world needs the LORD and they will only find HIM if HIS followers genuinely worship HIM throughout the week.
: 41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endures for ever (2617 “mercy” [checed] means kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, favor, loyal love, faithfulness, graciousness, or obligation to the community)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel were to be a thankful people because of the lovingkindness of the LORD toward them in all HIS actions. HE loved them in spite of their sinfulness. HE loves us in spite of our sinfulness.
During this time period of blessing David set up the worship of the LORD in Jerusalem. He had the Ark of the Covenant there in a tent until the Temple could be built. There was worship going on from the time period of the move to Jerusalem throughout his reign as king and he wanted it to be done right.
The priests and the Levites had their assignments. The porters had their assignments. The two men mentioned in this verse were to use their musical instruments to worship the LORD.
David completed the assignment and then when home to bless his house. He had completed what he wanted for the children of Israel to have proper worship of the LORD.
Now we have to do the same today. Everything must be done decently and in order for our times of worship. Music is one of the keys to a good worship service. Today it seems hard to please everyone in this area. There are usually a group of people in the church who like the good old songs of the faith that are found in hymnbooks. Then there are those who just like the new choruses. The battle is on in most churches or the attendance will drop if one of the groups is not pleased.
We have a group of people who have left and started another church because they didn’t like the change of music in the church to just choruses. They thought it was vain reputation.
The enemy finds it easy to cause believers to not get along together. Music can be one of these areas. We need to have an appropriate mix that can help both groups in the church. The balance can be hard at times but it needs to be done. Each group needs to learn to get along with the other group without calling them names or starting another church. If the leadership is not willing to work with both group than they are the problem.
David set up the worship services according to the plan the LORD set down for the children of Israel in the wilderness. This continued when they were in Jerusalem. There were more psalms written by David and others that were sung, so we have new songs written on a continual basis even during this time period by many authors.
The important point is that the reason we sing is to give thanks to the LORD for all the blessings HE is giving us on a regular basis. Our singing should be a time of thanksgiving!!!
CHALLENGE: Allow the worship services to be a good combination of new and old songs that help all groups to worship the LORD.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Written in the law of the LORDverse 40
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Peace and Burnt offeringsverses 1, 2, 40
Bless the peopleverse 2
Giving of giftsverse 3
Play musical instrumentsverses 5, 6
Worship the LORDverse 29
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Abrahamverse 16
Isaacverse 16
Jacobverse 17
Written in the law of the LORDverse 40
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator)verses 1, 4, 6, 14, 35, 36
Ark of Godverse 1
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 39-41
Ark of the LORDverse 4
LORD God of Israelverses 4, 36
Ark of the covenant of Godverse 6
LORD our Godverse 14
God made the heavensverse 25
Judge the earthverse 33
God of our salvationverse 35
Ark of the covenant of the LORDverse 37
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Kingsverse 21
Heathenverses 24, 35
All nationsverses 24, 31
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Do wrong toward Israelverse 21
Touching God’s anointedverse 22
Harming prophetsverse 22
False godsverses 25, 26
Idolsverse 26
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Bring offerings to the LORDverses 1, 2
Blessedverse 2
Give gifts to othersverse 3
Ministerverses 4, 37
Recordverse 4
Thankverses 4, 7, 8, 34, 35, 41
Praiseverses 4, 25, 36
Call upon the LORDverses 8, 11
Make known the deeds of the LORDverses 8, 9, 12, 24
Singverses 9, 23, 33
Talkverse 9
Rejoiceverses 10, 31
Seek the LORDverse 11
Remember HIS marvelous worksverse 12
Servantverse 13
Chosenverses 13, 41
Covenantverses 15-17
Inheritanceverse 18
Anointedverse 22
Prophetsverse 22
Salvationverses 23, 35
Strengthverses 27, 28
Gladnessverse 27
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holinessverse 29
Mercyverse 41
Bless your houseverse 43
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Everlasting covenantverse 17
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QUOTES regarding passage
41 God’s “love” is here specified as his ḥeseḏ (also in v.34), which refers to his loyalty to the provisions embodied in the covenantal relationship (see on 19:2; cf. Gen 21:23; Ps 136:10; and Payne, Theology, pp. 161–63). (Payne, J. B. (1988). 1, 2 Chronicles. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 393). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
v. 41. They did it with musical instruments of God, such instruments as were appointed and appropriated to this service, not such as they used on other occasions. Between common mirth and holy joy there is a vast difference, and the limits and distances between them must be carefully observed and kept up. Matters being thus settled, and the affairs of religion put into a happy channel, (1.) The people were satisfied, and went home pleased. (2.) David returned to bless his house, resolving to keep up family worship still, which public worship must not supersede. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 572). Peabody: Hendrickson.)
16:39–43. The reference to Zadok as priest of the tabernacle at Gibeon reveals the reason for the retention of two high priests. Zadok, of the Aaronic line of Eleazar (6:4–8), was in charge of the Gibeon sanctuary, while Abiathar, of the line of Ithamar (24:6), officiated at the new tent-shrine in Jerusalem. The origin of Gibeon as the site of a tabernacle is not known but it must not have been deemed illicit since David appointed Zadok as priest there and later on Solomon offered sacrifices there with God’s approval (cf. 1 Kings 3:4–10). In fact it appears that sometime after the ark was taken from Shiloh the tabernacle was moved also, eventually ending up at Gibeon (1 Chron. 21:29). Zadok thus was ministering at the original Mosaic house of worship. While Asaph was with Abiathar in David’s tabernacle which housed the ark, Heman and Jeduthun (also called Ethan; cf. 6:44; 15:17) functioned with Zadok at the original Mosaic tabernacle of Gibeon. (Merrill, E. H. (1985). 1 Chronicles. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 607). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Ver. 41. And with them, &c.] That is, with Zadok, and the priests with him at Gibeon: he left Heman and Jeduthun; or Ethan, two principal singers: and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name; see ver. 18, 20, 21. to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; to praise him for his benefits, flowing from his grace and mercy continually. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 29). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
41–43. The whole forms a most delightful representation of the services of the old church. And as all the services were with an eye to Christ, we never can sufficiently admire the grace of the Holy Ghost in the appointment. Think, Reader, of what vast, what infinite importance, is the redemption by Jesus in the eyes of Jehovah; when the mere shadow and type of it was so regularly observed, in daily services, through so many intermediate generations, from the fall of man to the coming of Christ? (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: 1 Kings–Esther (Vol. 3, p. 370). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Looking forward to the Messiah, Isaiah writes: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance” (55:1-2). Then John, looking back to the Messiah, picks up the same theme: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (v. 17). (Quiet Walk)
WHY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CALLED HOLY?
But ye have an unction from the Holy One. 1 John 2:20
Why is the Holy Spirit called holy? Surely, the explanation is that it is His special work to produce holiness and order in all that He does in the application of Christ’s work of salvation. His objective is to produce holiness, and He does that in nature and creation, as well as in human beings. But His ultimate work is to make us a holy people, holy as the children of God. It is also probable that He is described as the Holy Spirit in order to differentiate Him from the other spirits the evil spirits. That is why we are told to test the spirits and to prove them and to know whether they are of God or not (1 John 4:1).
Then the next great question is the personality or the personhood of the Spirit. The personhood of the Holy Spirit is not only forgotten by those whom we describe as liberals or modernists in their theology, but we ourselves are often guilty of precisely the same thing. I have heard most orthodox people referring to the Holy Spirit and His work as “it” and “its” influence and so on, as if the Holy Spirit were nothing but an influence or a power. And hymns, too, frequently make the same mistake. There is a confusion about the Holy Spirit, and I am sure there is a sense in which many of us find it a little more difficult to conceive of the third person in the blessed Holy Trinity than to conceive of the Father or the Son.
Why is there this tendency to think of Him as a force or an influence or an emanation? There are a number of answers to that question, but they are not good reasons. His work seems to be impersonal because it is a kind of mystical and secret work. He produces graces and fruits; He gives us gifts, and He gives us various powers. And because of that, we tend to think of Him as if He was some influence. I am sure that this is a great part of the explanation. A Thought to Ponder: His special work is to produce holiness. (From God the Holy Spirit, p. 8 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Strong into the Night
He who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. PROVERBS 29:25
In September 1939, Great Britain allied with France and several other alarmed countries in declaring war on Hitler’s Germany, which had invaded Poland in its intended march toward global domination. By the end of the year, anxieties throughout England remained on high alert; everyone was fearful of bombing and invasion.
When King George VI sat down before two large microphones to make his Christmas Day speech to the nation, he was dressed in his official uniform as Admiral of the Fleet. With so many parts of the world facing an uncertain future, his goal was to reassure the people that their nation was prepared and able and their cause right and just.
“A new year is at hand,” the king said. “We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle, we shall remain undaunted.”
Then, turning to some lines of poetry his wife had recently shared with him, he concluded his speech with these words, which are a fitting close to our year together. They offer a word of encouragement that—we hope—will settle your hearts amid the troubles of our own era in history. These lines are from “The Gate of the Year,” a poem written in 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins:
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied, “Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!” (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
HINDRANCES TO REVIVAL
And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. Genesis 26:17-18
This incident in the life of Isaac has much to teach us in our consideration of the whole question of revival. The picture is one of Isaac in trouble, in a difficulty. If you read the context, you will find that he had been living in another part of the country, and God had blessed him in a very striking manner. So much so that Isaac had become the object of envy of those who were living round and about him, and they had forced him to move. “And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we” (Genesis 26:16). And so Isaac was compelled to move with his family and all his servants, possessions, and belongings. Then he came to the valley of Gerar and decided that he would dwell there.
Of course, the moment he arrived he was confronted by an urgent and a very desperate need—the need of water. I do want to emphasize that because this was the need for something that is absolutely essential to life, in addition to being essential to well-being. He was not merely confronted by the problem of seeking some beautiful spot where he might pitch his tent or erect some kind of dwelling-place for himself. He was not looking for entertainment or for luxuries; he was not looking for any kind of accessory to life. The whole point of the story is that he was looking for something that is an absolute essential and without which life cannot be maintained at all.
I emphasize that because the first thing that we must realize about the situation we are in today is its desperate character.
A Thought to Ponder
The first thing that we must realize about the situation we are in today is its desperate character.(From Revival, p. 21, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
1 Kings 2
David charges Solomon with the urgency of living for the Lord.
INSIGHT
Parts of the Old Testament tax our understanding and our acceptance.
First, we do not understand much about Judaism, the Law, and Old Testament
culture and customs. Second, many of the events are violations of God’s desires-though that is not explained to us. And finally, God deals with men differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament.
While not all things are easily explained, in chapter 2, Solomon takes vengeance only upon all those people who had already committed acts that were punishable by death.
his doesn’t answer every problem we might have with this difficult chapter, but it is a beginning. (Quiet Walk)
A Remarkable Life
Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. 1 Peter 2:12 nlt
I came to learn about Catherine Hamlin, a remarkable Australian surgeon, through reading her obituary. In Ethiopia, Catherine and her husband established the world’s only hospital dedicated to curing women from the devastating physical and emotional trauma of obstetric fistulas, a common injury in the developing world that can occur during childbirth. Catherine is credited with overseeing the treatment of more than 60,000 women.
Still operating at the hospital when she was ninety-two years old, and still beginning each day with a cup of tea and Bible study, Hamlin told curious questioners that she was an ordinary believer in Jesus who was simply doing the job God had given her to do.
I was grateful to learn about her remarkable life because she powerfully exemplified for me Scripture’s encouragement to believers to live our lives in such a way that even people who actively reject God “may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).
The power of God’s Spirit that called us out of spiritual darkness into a relationship with Him (v. 9) can also transform our work or areas of service into testimonies of our faith. In whatever passion or skill God has gifted us, we can embrace added meaning and purpose in doing all of it in a manner that has the power to point people to Him. By Lisa M. Samra (Our Daily Bread)
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