July 5: 1 Chronicles 1 – 2:17; Psalm 3; Proverbs 18:13, 15; Acts 23:11-35



Overview

            1 Chronicles: The genealogy lists Adam to Abraham. It then lists his sons, Isaac and Ishmael then Abraham’s descendants from his concubine after Sarah died, Keturah. Isaac is listed with his sons, Esau and Israel. Esau’s descendants are listed. The kings of Edom are listed before any Israelite kings. The descendants of Israel are listed and Judah is followed to the time of David.
            Psalm: David has so many enemies that people say God can’t rescue him. But God is a shield around him and keeps him going, especially when he cries out to the Lord. He rests securely at night knowing the Lord watches over him. He isn’t afraid even when outnumbered by 10,000. He asks the Lord to rescue him by whacking his enemies. He states that salvation comes from the Lord and blessings are on his people.
            Proverbs: I got yesterday’s and today’s proverbs mixed up. So today I’ll pick up yesterdays and the rest of today’s.
            You are a shameful fool if you start answering a person without listening to what they are saying. A discerning and wise person seeks and acquires knowledge.
            Acts: The Lord stood by Paul the following night and told him to take courage because he was going to testify about him in Rome just as he had in Jerusalem. The next day, some Jews made an oath not to eat or drink until they killed Paul. They went to the chief priests and elders and they plotted to have him killed when the council called Paul back for another hearing. Paul’s nephew heard of it and told Paul. Paul had the boy taken to the commander and he explained the plot. The commander then put Paul on a horse along with 70 horsemen and 200 foot troops and sent him to Felix, the governor at Caesarea. The commander explained what was going on in a letter and sent it along with them. He said there was no reason to imprison Paul. The foot soldiers went part way and the horsemen took Paul to Felix. Felix read the letter and said he would hear the case when his accusers arrived.

What Stood Out

            1 Chronicles: “Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man” (1 Chron 1:10).
            Psalm: “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me” (Ps 3:5).
            Proverbs: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame” (Prov 18:13).
            Acts: “The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, ‘What is it that you have to tell me?’” (Acts 23:19).

Insight

            1 Chronicles: The lineage of David is broken by very few comment and this one about Nimrod says that he was the first mighty man on earth. The genealogy in Genesis says he was a mighty hunter before the Lord. The New Living Translation says that he was the greatest hunter in the world so that his name became proverbial. One thing we can look forward to is doing all that we do for the Lord. We won’t be the first or the last. We won’t be the greatest but that isn’t our goal. We simply want to do all that we do for the Lord (1 Cor 10:31). With that attitude, it won’t matter what history says about us.
            Psalm: One of the great blessings of knowing the Lord is being able to have a good night’s sleep. 100% confidence in the Lord means that there is no reason to lie awake at night worrying about things. This doesn’t mean that there will be sleepless nights for other reasons, but look at David. He was on the run, he had Saul chasing him when he was younger and now he had his son trying to kill him. What does he say? He sleeps and trusts that he will wake up in the morning because the lord sustains him. That’s where we need to be.
            Proverbs: I like the way these two Proverbs fit together even though they aren’t in order. There is a relationship to a person who wants to acquire knowledge and one who listens before answering. It is really hard to learn something new if your mouth is always making noise, especially when it doesn’t have much to do with what another person is saying. This is really important in group Bible studies as well as all family dynamics. Listen! Don’t even start thinking about what you want to say in response until the other person has finished. Yes, it sometimes very hard to do, especially when another person doesn’t ever seem to stop talking. But it is good advice.
            Acts: When the Lord wants someone to do something, he is able to make sure it happens. Whether Paul didn’t follow instructions of the Holy Spirit not to go to Jerusalem is a moot point in God’s eyes. He is still going to make sure Paul gets to Rome. He even told Paul what he would do. Those 40 guys that took an oath not eat or drink until they killed Paul. Looks like they must have died of thirst. God fowled their plans by a young boy.
            In the middle of all this drama, the commander shows a remarkable amount of tenderness to this kid. He took him by the hand. This must have been a frightening situation for him. Discovering the plot against his uncle, seeing his uncle imprisoned, then facing the chief honcho of the Roman garrison would have been overwhelming. Yet in all this, the Lord is in control and has the commander work in a calming way with the youngster.
            What a lesson for us. God’s sovereignty is evident, but even when things are going screwy, we can be tender and polite to others.

Application

            I have to be very careful about speaking before another person is finished. Sometimes I even try to finish what a person is saying. That is not wise, insulting, and insensitive. It can quickly shut down a conversation.

No comments:

Post a Comment

God Remembers

Just what does God remember about our sins as time goes on? David penned these words in Psalm 25 verses 6 and 7. Remember your mercy, O Lo...