1 Chronicles 29: Let's End with Prayer

As the chronicler’s first work comes to and end, he records a prayer by David that can help us to learn how to talk to Jehovah about His good faithfulness and our desire to honor Him. It would be wonderful to be in such a good spiritual condition at the end of life that we can thank Him for having brought us through life so well. Then, we can die in honor as David did.

1 Chronicles 28: David to Solomon - from God

David’s instructions for his son came not only from his own good heart, they came from the God of Israel This detailed account includes the tender encouragement of this father for his son to be strong and courageous in doing the work that was set before him. It would be good for fathers today to learn how to use this balanced approach in encouraging their sons and daughters to live devotedly before God.

1 Chronicles 27: Every Year, Every Month, Every Day

Israel had a king. That meant that Israel’s people would have to do the business of a kingdom—every day of every month of every year as long as the kingdom lasted. Twelve divisions of men were appointed to serve the king one month at a time in whatever issues came before them. This was right, fair, and important (vv. 1-15). The author continues with more organizational information in the rest of the chapter. If the people did what God wanted, He would keep blessing them (v. 23). But they did not—and they fell from His grace (1 Corinthians 10:1-12).

1 Chronicles 26: I Would Gladly Be a Gatekeeper

What if your family line put you in the part of the tribe of Levi that meant your occupation would be a gatekeeper at the temple? Would you choose to learn the Bible well enough to humbly accept your role and serve in gladness? Would you whine and murmur about it for your whole life? Would you just choose to leave your post and live the life of the world? Think about such things as you read through the chapter (also, note Psalm 84:10).

1 Chronicles 25: Making Music

Music is one of the great features of this world—the music of birds, children, worship—and even the music that entertains us. It is filled with messages, soul-stirring melodies, soothing notes—there is no end to it. Music was to be part of the temple services, too. And it was to be done according to the pattern that God authorized. Our music—as part of our worship—is also backed by a pattern from Christ (John 4:24; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16-17).

1 Chronicles 24: The Honor of Assigned Duties

Our acceptable approach to God in worship has always involved knowing what He wants us to do. Doing what He wants involves a lot of individual responsibilities for all worshippers, whether we are leading this worship or not. Verse 19 makes this point very well as it describes the assigned duties that were important for temple worship. This basic point helps us to understand that worship is not random acts offered in the midst of “mass confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

1 Chronicles 23: Every Morning - Likewise the Evening

Things changed in Israel when God had a permanent house (the temple). There would be no need for the Levites to move the tabernacle from place to place (as they had been doing for nearly 500 years since Sinai). So what would they do? Verse 30 gives part of the answer—and what a great privilege they were given. Every morning—and likewise in the evening, they were to stand, giving thanks and praise to the Lord! This was every day—and we have the right to do this as God’s priesthood today (Hebrews 3:12-13; 1 Peter 2:5-9).

1 Chronicles 22: Temple Time

David had been a warrior for the Lord. The bloodshed of David’s lifetime meant that God would not allow him to build the temple. David submitted to this decision and directed his energies to making preparations for the work of building (which was given to his son Solomon). Even with all of this work, it still took years to finish the temple. A good lesson for us to think on is how important our work is as we “get things ready” for those who come after us. Let us make their load lighter even if we have to give up our own dreams.

1 Chronicles 21: Consequences

David’s choice to number (count) the people was displeasing to God (2 Samuel 24) and it involved the will of Satan, as this reading shows. Whatever was wrong with it was so serious that the consequences reached into the lives of tens of thousands of the Israelites. My friend, consequences are real—let us think before we act—and let this chapter teach us a lesson about consequences that we never forget.

1 Chronicles 20: In the Spring

In Ancient times, the spring was the time for war. Yuk! Are we so tied to the earth that we allow ourselves to repeat foolish things year after year just because “it is that time of the year again”? Short chapter—short meditation—hard lesson.

1 Chronicles 19: The Rejection of True Kindness

The Bible clearly implies that David wanted to show kindness to the family of a king who had been kind to him. This other king had died, and the heart of David went out to them. But some of the new king’s leaders judged David sinfully and created a situation that could easily have turned into a war. You can read that part for yourself—but be sure to learn how dangerous it is to judge someone else’s heart—especially when they clearly mean to be kind toward you!

1 Chronicles 18: David - The Soldier

It is a sad truth that God’s people always have had enemies. In Israel, those enemies were often the pagan nations who lived nearby, even within Israel’s borders. David fought and won many battles as a soldier of God. Spiritually, the church has many enemies, too. So, we should not be surprised to learn that we are an army (Ephesians 6:10-20). Our goal is to honor our King and make His enemies become His friends as we use the Bible to lead them to Christ.

1 Chronicles 17: Nathan - The Prophet

There were times when David received information directly from God (2 Samuel 23:2). There were other times when he learned by reading the law of the Lord (Psalm 19:7-11). And there were times when a prophet told him the will of God. Nathan, who appears now and then in the Bible—was truly a major player in David’s life. Here, he is the one who helps David formulate his plan for a temple for Jehovah (which was later built by his son, Solomon). Let us be humble servants like Nathan so we can be of help to those who do great works for Our God.

1 Chronicles 16: Let Us Give Thanks

The song of thanksgiving can serve as a great meditation today. It is actually a combination of two of the psalms (105 and 96). It is about thanksgiving. It is also a lesson on how many uses the Bible has. Psalm 105 is a unit with its own lessons; Psalm 96 is a unit with its own lessons; and this combination of them is a unit with its own lessons.

1 Chronicles 15: More About the Ark

The earlier chapter about the ark could have been avoided if the rules regarding it had been followed. The lesson had been learned—too late for Uzzah—but learned by the survivors. Carrying the ark according to the rules of God led to decisions to do other things correctly, too. A lesson for us? How about learning from their error to make fewer errors?

1 Chronicles 14: Like a Bursting Flood

The King James word in verse 11 is “Baalperazim.” It means “the Lord bursts out.” God had worked through David to burst out and defeat the enemies—the Philistines. David knew he played a role in this victory, but when it came to giving credit for it—He gave it all to God. The result was that the place received a new name—Baalperazim. Do we give God this kind of glory when He works through us today (Ephesians 3:20-21)?

1 Chronicles 13: A Short Story About the Ark

This chapter is over almost as quickly as it begins. The ark of the covenant has a major role here—the people have a greater role—and God has the greatest role. How well do we deal with the physical things that come into and go out of our lives? How does God view our respect or lack of respect for His laws regarding the things in our lives?

1 Chronicles 12: If You Have Come...

Why we do things has to do with our motives—our innermost reasons. These motives are related to what kind of people we really are. Verse 17 of this reading addresses the motives of some men who came to meet David. His wisdom led him to know that motives are important, that he did not know enough to judge their motives (yet), and that he expected them to have good motives. What a great theme for a meditation!

1 Chronicles 11: David Reigns

When Jacob was near the end of his life, he prophesied the futures of his sons. Shiloh—the One Who would be a ruler Who brought rest—would come through Judah (Genesis 49:10). The royal line of Judah began with its first king, David. And the reign of this man whose royal line ends with Jesus Christ began in this reading.

1 Chronicles 10: Benjamin's Tragedy in Saul

Our reading now goes from genealogies to historical narratives. The final events of the lives of Saul and his sons (first told at the end of 1 Samuel) is given in this short chapter. The promising beginning of Saul’s reign ended in disaster and an apparent victory for the lifeless gods of the Philistines. Think seriously as you read verses 13 and 14 a few times.

1 Chronicles 9: A Reference to Babylon

Most of this chapter tells us about people who came back to the land after the Babylonian captivity. Note that some of them were from tribes of the north which are mistakenly referred to as the “ten lost tribes” (v. 3). The “ten lost tribes” are part of the millennial theory that falsely claims that God will someday restore them to the land for a thousand years. Actually, they exercised that option a long time ago when the captivity ended. The chapter ends with a repetition of the family tree of Saul (vv. 35-44; see 8:29-38).

1 Chronicles 8: Then There Was Benjamin

Although Benjamin was mentioned briefly in chapter 7, the chronicler chose to devote a longer section to his family here. This tribe is known for its depravity (in Judges 17-21) and for being the tribe of the first king, Saul (who was humble at the beginning of his reign). One of the most honorable men of the Old Testament was Saul’s son and David’s friend, Jonathan.

1 Chronicles 7: More of the 12 Tribes

All of the tribes were important to the success of God’s mission for the sons of Jacob, even though the focus was mainly on Judah and Levi. So, the information here is brief. Notice how much attention is paid to the number of men in these tribes who were warriors. What would life on earth be like if all people would quit learning how to go to war? The fact that some will not love peace makes it essential for the rest to be on guard. This is also true spiritually (Ephesians 6:10-20).

1 Chronicles 6: Now for the Priests

The work of the Levites as the priestly tribe involved a number of jobs and responsibilities that were very specific. The design was to keep worship pure and help all of the tribes to remain faithful in their devotion to Jehovah (Deuteronomy 33:8-11). Even with their detailed set of instructions, Levi failed. Levi failed—as much as—or even more than—any other tribe in Israel. When God gives us great responsibilities, He expects us to understand that there is a great price to pay if we do not carry them out faithfully.

1 Chronicles 5: Two and a Half Tribes

This reading reminds us of the tribes that were granted their request to occupy land on the eastern side of the Jordan. This chapter is more than a genealogy as it tells us of some of their successes and failures after they received their inheritance. They were finally part of the captivity that resulted from the invasion by the Assyrians. This was God’s judgment on them (v. 26).

1 Chronicles 4: What About Jabez?

This man is only mentioned in verses 9 and 10 of this chapter (there is a town with this name in 1 Chronicles 2:55). He is not mentioned in the genealogy. A few years ago, he got a lot of attention when a book was written with his name in the title. I have not read the book, but his prayer is touching, and he is called more honorable than his brothers. Meditate on his character, his prayer, and the fact that God granted his request.

1 Chronicles 3: Now We Come to David

Who is in your family tree? Reading through David’s family, we might call it “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” The Bible does not distort reality. We might as well accept the whole truth about David’s family and learn the lessons that God wants us to learn. Now let’s look at our own family tree—what can we learn—who can we imitate—who can we help—and who can help us to be better family members?

1 Chronicles 2: It Goes Through Judah

The genealogies in the Bible are not the same as the “endless genealogies” that are used to create questions and strife in 1 Timothy 1:4. Those in the Bible serve very important purposes. One of those purposes is to show us that God fulfilled His promise to provide redemption for us by going through Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Hebrews 7:14). This chapter establishes that link. It also mentions the names of people whose stories have already been told. Meditate briefly on them as you read.

1 Chronicles 1: Adam Is First

The two books of chronicles are a review and a supplement to everything in the Old Testament from Genesis through 2 Kings. The early chapters of 1 Chronicles are a genealogy that begins with the first man on earth—Adam. The Bible makes no apology for its presentation of the origin, progression, fall, and history of the human race. It also clearly teaches that our origin is based in the truth that God made us in His Own image, and He expects us to learn of Him. Then we are supposed to love Him enough to follow all of His ways. Adam did not, and look at what happened.