OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapters 23-27

The following chapters discuss the organization of the kingdom of Israel as of the end of David's reign. As we can see from the many divisions, we each have an important position in God's kingdom. We are a many-member body:

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

1 Chronicles 23:1-32

Divisions of the Levites

1 Chronicles 24:1-31

Divisions of the Priests 

1 Chronicles 25:1-31

The Musicians

1 Chronicles 26:1-32

The Gatekeepers 

1 Chronicles 27:1-34

Military Divisions, Leaders and Officials

OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 22

1 Chronicles 22:1-19

22:1-4 David began the process of the building of the Temple before his son Solomon became king. Solomon would continue and finish the project but David wanted to ensure that it had indeed been initiated. He appointed foreigners in the land to construct the building (people who were not of the tribes of Israel, but were God's people all the same).

22:5 David loved God so wholeheartedly that he wanted the temple to reflect the goodness of God, as best (if still inadequately) as it could. David made "abundant preparations"; David wanted to be the one to build this temple, but God postponed the project. David found a way to be as involved as he could, devoting all of his energy to this temple which he knew would represent this great and new faith.

We can learn from David's energy, the fervency with which he loved God. Despite his imperfections, his main purpose in life was following God's instructions and exuding his love for God. Because of those priorities, everything that went wrong in David's life was quickly and efficiently made right. 

22:6-8 David revealed to his son that the honor of building the temple would be Solomon's. David's mission and purpose was to establish this kingdom through battle and defense. It was because of David's work ethic in faith with God that there was even a kingdom in which to build a temple.

22:9-11 In a heart to heart with his son, David's tells Solomon that God prophesied of his life. Solomon did indeed live a life of luxury, a life very different from his father's. David encourages Solomon to accept his purpose and relationship with God for prosperity would result.

22:12-13 There are four important things David says to Solomon in these two verses:

1. May the Lord give you wisdom and understanding (and give you charge): God's wisdom helps us to navigate during our lives.
2. Take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses: Follow God's instruction.
3. Be strong and of good courage: Persevere in faith
4. Do not fear nor be dismayed: Trust God to overcome and eliminate that which you are afraid of 

22:14-16 David then informed Solomon of the preparations and materials made and procured for the building of the temple. David's time on earth was nearing and end and the most important things he had to prepare his son all revolved around God.

It is imperative and so beneficial for us to bring God into every aspect of our lives. We have limitations and weaknesses but God supplements for what we lack. David knew that Solomon would be successful (in heart, life, faith, and kingship) if he devoted himself to God.

22:17-18 Finally David highlighted that God was deserving of the reverence. David encouraged them to examine their lives and nation: it was all established, protected and sustained by God.

22:19 "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God." In the old testament, we read of physical temples. In the New Testament, we learn that we are the temple of God, 1 Corinthians 3:16. He is within us; therefore, build for Him by building righteousness in yourself and your life.

OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 21

1 Chronicles 21:1-30

21:1-2 This chapter of Chronicles corresponds to 2 Samuel 24. David moves to take a census of Israel but not by God's command. In David's time and culture, if a man made a count of anything, it meant that he claimed that property as his own. It was imperative for the kings of Israel to know that the kingdom was ultimately claimed by God.

21:3 The commander of the army, Joab, pointed this out to David. The kingdom was not David's to claim. Perhaps the powerful and exaltation David received from Israel began to seep into him as pride. This could happen to any of it. To ward off pride, we must remember that God is trainer, owner and provider. Powerful positions are not a point of pride but of responsibility. 

21:4-6 David insisted and Joab followed his orders. Israel had grown enormously (it started with one man, Abraham).

21:7 God was displeased with David; as a Father, God is not hesitant to discipline His children. God is always working to grow us. A seed of pride began to grow in David and God vigilantly perceived it. We are not always aware of the ways or times we are wrong but God is. He points them out not to harshly criticize us but to help us perceive the broader perspective of ourselves and our lives.

21:8 To his credit, David immediately acknowledged his fault. Yet it is not enough to only acknowledge our faults, we also have to work on them. God needed to place David in a position that would teach him the cost of pride. God wants us to understand why he is displeased with pride and other sins. 

21:9-12 To teach and discipline David, God offered David a test disguised as a choice. To face retribution for his digression (which may seem small to us, but God and David knew, privately the significance) David could choose either: three years of famine, three months defeated by his foes or a three day plague in the land.

21:13 The three options distressed David. He was glad to receive humbling by the hand of God but he could not stand the prospect of being humbled by his enemies. And indeed that sounds awful, but it was the only selfless choice of the three options. It was the only choice that, having been chosen, would show God that David had humbled the pride out of him. 

21:14-15 And so a plague fell on the land and the cost was seventy-thousand men. The lesson here is that in a position of leadership, our choices directly affect the lives of many, many others. We are all influential in some way, to our friends, family and the people around us during the day (even strangers). Selfish actions have consequence for the people around us. 

21:16-17 When David discovered the destruction of his choice, he was finally humbled. It occurred to him that innocents have suffered because of his selfish choices; it pained him severely. David reached the point where he prayed that God would discipline him. David even stressed the fact that he alone was responsible for the sin. God did not administer flippant discipline; he knows how to make us stare head-on at the places within ourselves that need fixing. He does this out of love; God sees great potential in the places of our weakness. He needs us to acknowledge those places, own them, before we can work on them.

21:18-22 In order to fix what he had done, David needed time with God. He went to the threshing floor of Ornan and bought it at full price in order to build an altar for God. We must purchase our weakness at full price, claim it (and all responsibility), and then build our faith in those places. We must bring God into those places so that He can fix, redirect, restore, and grow righteousness in those places.

21:23 Another test: Ornan offered the space to David for free. He even offered his own animals to sacrifice (a now defunct practice, Hosea 6:6). This was a test because it was another chance for David to use others to absolve himself. 

21:24-26 Instead, David chose to finally accept full responsibility. His repentance to God needed to be authentic and wholehearted in order for it to matter. And so David purchased the space at full price, and built an altar for God. The discipline became personal, an intimate father-child relationship. In that space, David could receive instruction to learn from his mistakes and to be better.

21:27 The plague was over. When we begin to live selflessly, we immediately stop harming others with our negative influence.

Side note: it is interesting to read that angels are messengers of God, and also instruments of His will. Our obedience here helps us to qualify as obedient servants there, with God. The angels never question God's authority, no matter the command. They trust Him. Without hesitation, they do the work of His will.

21:28-30 The threshing floor space became special: a place of reverent obedience to an all-righteous God; a place where sin was humbled.

OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 20

1 Chronicles 20:1-8

20:1 This chapter of Chronicles omits what 2 Samuel 12 highlighted: David's personal crisis. There are times when we are not as present as would benefit us, moments when we allow desire to cleave us from strict adherence to our faith. For David, the desire was literal: a woman. For us, it could be many things. Anytime our eyes have looked sideways for personal gain of wealth, position, possession or power we have stopped looking where we were going and have stumbled off of the path. 

We are not fully present because desire has pulled a piece of us into the tempting picture of a future our desire has told us we can have if we only listen to its siren call. In our absence, our faith is teaching a lesson. But we are not going to receive that lecture until later, when we come stumbling back into the classroom: bruised and broken, or having bruised and broken someone else, and are ready to acknowledge our mistakes.

20:2-3 David was absent for part of the battle because of a personal battle. David allowed God to discipline him back onto the path, and therefore he was able to rejoin his prosperous life, wiser and stronger in faith.

20:4-8 Sibbechai, Elhanan , and Jonathan also prospered in the war against the Philistines (as well as many other men). David was king and is the focus of this book, but God strengthens even those of us who appear to be in the background. God built a kingdom, on earth and heaven, and each person in it is blessed by Him. 

OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 19

1 Chronicles 19:1-19

19:1-2 David was not incapable of diplomacy, he just wasn't given much opportunity for it. But the kingdom of Israel had good relations with king Nahash of Ammon. When their king died, David extended kindness to the new king, Nahash's son. 

God does not teach us to have an "us against the world" attitude. He genuinely hopes that we will take any, every opportunity to mend, secure or reaffirm our relationships, national and personal. The kingdom of Israel did not seek total domination; it was quite content as it was, established and provided for by God within its own borders. Similar should we be as individuals: content with the space and provision God has given us, using none of it to further selfish motivations. 

And so David sent his servants to Hanun (in the land of the people of Ammon) to comfort the new king. David was a compassionate man, evidenced by his tender relationship with God. The young new king had just lost his father and David hoped to provide comfort. 

19:3 But David's servants are ill-received; they are believed to be spies with nefarious intentions. It may never have occurred to David that such false suspicions would arise; the kingdom of Israel was very much established according to the will of God, the mindset of the world might have been far from him. For a child of God, it would be unthinkable to betray and target an ally (especially) in their moment of weakness. 

19:4 But the people of Ammon were not in the righteous sphere of God and therefore Hanun is easily convinced that David means harm. Hanun tragically represents the type of hasty fear the world lives with. They are without contentment and security. Even allies appear as enemies. 

In response to David's kindness, David's servants were humiliated: their was ripped indecently; their heads were shaved. They were sent home ashamed.

19:5 When David learned about their humiliation, he did not respond with haste or fear or anger. Instead, David responded with empathy: he allowed the men time to recover in Jericho, to regrow their beards (which were highly regarded in their culture).

19:6-7 The people of Ammon realized that they destroyed relations with Israel. In a frantic scramble, they hired chariots and horsemen to help them defend themselves from a situation they unnecessarily caused. Their behavior was immature, hasty but we cannot too harshly judge them; often, we too allow our fear and immediate, emotional feelings to drive our behavior. From these accounts, we should learn the benefit of trusting God, being kind, and reacting always with patient solemnity. 

19:8-9 The people of Ammon started the war again. When David learned that they had assembled an army against Israel, David sent Joab (commander of the Israelite army) and his men into battle.

19:10 Joab analyzes the situation with his experienced eye for battle and discerns that Israel is surrounded. And yet, it is with a calm and focused mind that Joab plans Israel's defense. God will provide us with the material and temperament we need when we need it, when we trust Him to. 

19:11-12 Joab begins to arrange the army and its captains. He promises reinforcement to whichever division has the most difficult opposition. As a unit, the army of Israel will defeat their enemies; supporting each other rather than searching for personal glory. 

9:13 Just before engaging in battle, Joab motivates the army under his leadership with this: "Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight." Joab reminded  the people of God's presence and their motivation for fighting. He reminded them of an immense comfort and relief that they may not have been considered in that intense moment: that this battle would occur in accordance with God's will. Before facing any challenge, we have the benefit of remembering that we have placed God as the authority in our lives. The very God who has our best interests at heart and never fails. 

The Israelite army was defending itself; it was innocent. Though battles today often have (glaringly obvious and sometimes discreet) political motivations, on personal levels, we can ensure that our motivations are always pure. And when our motivations are pure, so is the force of God in our defense.

19:14-15 The hired Syrian army shrunk and fled from the Israelite army. Ammon noticed that their reinforcement fled and then fled themselves. Israel barely had to lift an arm before their opposition realized they were outmatched. For Israel's reinforcement was God, in defense of their innocence. 

19:16-19 David himself joins the effort when the Syrians redouble their attack on Israel. They fought and David prevailed; many of Israel's former enemies submitted themselves as servants. Ammon lost their ally. God will thoroughly dismantle our enemies (literal and figurative) when we become soldiers in His army of righteousness. 

Be Strong: confident in your purpose of defending the innocent and protecting the righteous. 

Be of good courage for your people: let not fear discourage you from ensuring justice for those who deserve it. 

Know that God will do what is good in His sight: when you cannot rely on your own strength or courage, rely on God's.

OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 18

1 Chronicles 18:1-17

18:1-2 God made David able to attack and subdue the Philistines and Moabites. Though David was frequently engaged in war, it was always at the behest of God. God never sanctioned a war against an innocent nation or individual; God helped David, as He helps all of His children, because David fought against evil, Deuteronomy 9:5.

The ultimate mission of righteousness is a war on evil manifested into systems, kingdoms, nations, and powerful forces. David did not attack in an attempt to establish the renown of his name or to expand borders; he attacked because the strongholds of righteousness were breached by evil.

18:5-8 The Philistines, the Moabites and the Syrians struck against Israel but met a solid force. God preserved David wherever he went; each time David bravely, faithfully defended Israel and all it represented, God was with him. The gold and bronze of Israel's enemies became their possessions; their enemies were brought into submission. Once again: not because Israel was perfect but because their enemies were evil. To God, we are all imperfect. But Imperfect and trying (to be better) is a lot different than imperfect and not trying.

18:9-11 The king of Hamath heard of David's victory over the army of Hadadezer and responded with relief and gratitude. Hamath gave David gifts of gold, silver and bronze. David dedicated all of Hamath's gifts to God. It was very clear to David who the victor in the war had been: God. Therefore God, not David, deserved the gifts.

Gratitude is an especially helpful mindset. Gratitude humbles because it gives perspective: the victory did not come out of David's ability, it came out of God's. David remembered the source of his provision and power and could therefore continue to draw from it. 

18:12-13 Abishai, under David's command and God's power, was also successful in battle. It is repeated: And the Lord preserved David wherever he went. Even the people working with David were fortified by God; God provides comprehensive support.

18:14 So David reigned over all Israel, and administered judgment and justice to all his people. David's sole focus as king was to lead the kingdom and the people in accordance with God's will. 

18:15-17 David's Administration:

Army commander: Joab
Recorder: Jehoshaphat
Priests: Zadok and Abimelech
Scribe: Shavsha
Officer of the Cherethites and Pelethites (hired soldiers): Jeohiada
Chief ministers of the King: David's sons

David was surrounded by people who helped him to manage a kingdom, but he relied on God. David was not perfect and neither were the men assisting him, but as they each intended toward God's will as best they could, the kingdom flourished.

OT: The First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 17

1 Chronicles 17:1-27

17:1 God had laid the framework for a strong and prosperous kingdom. David was a instrumental in the establishment of the kingdom, he had devoted his entire life to building it, one brick at a time as God handed them down. Still, David was not yet content to settle into domesticity; it bothered David that while he resided in a solid home, the ark was placed "under a tent with curtains."

17:2 David brought his frustration to Nathan the prophet, he wanted to build a more elaborate temple for the ark. Nathan responded to David with encouragement: David had a track record for having the support of God. God had authorized David to build quite a lot in his life, the support of the kingdom, the kingdom itself, and it seemed to Nathan a reasonable endeavor.

17:3 That night, the word of God came to Nathan with a message for David. We can always rely on God to be present and attentive during our questions; even though David had not directly addressed God, He kept abreast with David's concerns. Therefore once David voiced his discontentment, God was already prepared to respond to it with plan and purpose. Oftentimes, we ruminate for a long time  about something before we even, or ever, discuss the matter with God. 

17:4 Just as we can always rely on God to be present and attentive during our questions, we can also count on Him to be straightforward and concise in responding to them: David did not need to ruminate any longer about building a house for God because God responded, "You shall not build Me a house to dwell in." Well, that's settled.

17:5 God declares that David should not build Him a house for the primary reason of: He does not need one and never has. Our God is not stagnant, in fact He is rather fluid and flexible. He goes where His children go. His presence cannot be housed. And though perhaps David understood this, God wanted to reiterate the fact that His presence superseded the confines of worldly things.

17:6 The second reason David should not build God a house: He has never asked for one. David is distressed about the location of the ark but God points out that he has never accused anyone of not building him an elaborate house. From God's perspective, the House of God is already built. God's relationship with humanity is a divine-effort to fill that heavenly house. 

17:7-8 God explained to David that they were doing really well as they already were: David housed God in whole heart and soul. God's presence within David had resulted in the diminishment of his enemies and the exaltation of himself.

17:9-10 And anyway, God effectively continues, I still have plans to build for you; let's utilize this time to benefit you, rather than me. God selflessly declined David's offer of a house because He preferred to continue to cement His people's place on the earth. The immensity of God's generosity is so supernatural that it's often baffling to us:

David: God, I want to build You a house.
God: You may not built me a house because I want to built a house for you.

Faith is the channel and landing pad of blessings. The wider, longer, higher, deeper our faith, the wider, longer, higher, deeper the blessing. David's faith blew the doors of limitation off and therefore God's generosity could freely flourish, explode and abound. 

17:11-12 This is one of the times in scripture that God's sense of humor, in addition to His generosity, is evident. David began this conversation wanting to do something for God. Instead, God squashed that and kept piling on things He would like to do for David and His people.

God began to speak to David about his posterity and the future of the kingdom. He promised to set up David's son as king and to establish his kingdom. Oh, and since David was so concerned about it, sure: David's son would built a house for God. 

17:13-14 God quickly moves on from mention of the house. He continues to make promises: to love and guide David's son with steadfast mercy, to establish his kingdom as everlasting. David's genuine love created a context for God to fill. The vehemence of His love for God propelled a kingdom into eternity. This is a foreshadowing of Jesus, whose perfect love and obedience to God propels an eternal kingdom! 

17:15 Nathan finished delivering the message to David. 

17:16 God's response just did not compute to David. He felt unworthy of such a generous response. 

The system of our world is all about give-and-take, about earning and receiving. The system of heaven is solely about giving. When we give every aspect of our heart and life to God, we discover that the reason He wanted our heart and life in the first place was to fill them. This concept is somewhat foreign to us because it is not the way our world works. But God walks into our lives with bags of blessings on His arms and shoulders like He's just gone on a shopping spree specifically for us. And it isn't our birthday; it isn't Valentine's day; it isn't Christmas or any holiday it's just because He loves us. It's just because He thought we would like to have it. 

17:17-19 David does not understand but he is grateful; that is the best attitude we can have toward a life tethered to God, both in meager times and times of plenty. Because as long as we have made Him the authority in our lives and are obedient to His will, He's working all things for our good, Romans 8:28.

17:20 David had a moment of pure awe: there is none like You. Swaddled in the perfect, unfathomably comprehensive love of God David is reduced to one thought only: there is none like You. Out of everything he has seen and heard and felt and known, none of it compared to God.

17:21-22 David considered the well-being of God's people - He had taken delicate and emphatic care of them. God claimed the tribes of Jacob and loved them so thoroughly that their lives were not at all comparable to the lives of the nations around them. It was not to show off, it was to gather. The robustness of the kingdom and the joy of its people was always intended to drawn others closer to God, too.

17:23-24 What else can David do but accept all of these new promises from God? Let it be, David said. Let the will and awe-some glory of God take full control.

17:25-27 Overwhelmed by the magnitude of the blessing, David humbly accepts in ceaseless prayer. David's life is a ceaseless prayer of surprise and gratitude for God. In seven sentences, David uses the term "Your servant" six times. The joy and prosperity of David's life was all made possible by his obedient and steadfast service to God. It was all made possible because David lived how God instructed Him to live. It was all my possible by David's faith in God's instructions and assurances.

God does not think of you as a nameless servant; God knows your name, 91:14. David uses the word servant with honor and gratitude; for we do not have a master-servant relationship with God. We have a father-son, father-daughter, relationship with God. Our lives in service to God are lives spent in service to our own well-being; God has made it so. Every command He gives is to make our life better. God could have chosen to use His authority to make us slaves; but instead of commanding or requiring us to build for Him, every command He gives is an effort to build for us. He puts us first, and Himself last, every time.

As we can see through David's life, God really cherishes our love for Him.