Even On Our Worst Days, God Shows Up.

“The following men joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who fought beside David in battle.” ­– 1 Chronicles 12:1 NLT

The chronicler is still building a case for the validity of the reign of David. He is convincing the people returning from exile that David’s reign as king, even though long ended, was the work of God. And God’s promise of a future king to sit on the throne of David was going to happen. To satisfy the people of David’s legitimacy and unite them as one people, the chronicler recounts the story of David’s flight to the land of the Philistines to escape the wrath of Saul. This story is told in 1 Samuel 27. Things had gotten so bad for David that he decides the only thing for him to do is to hide among the enemy, so that Saul will think he has defected. Not exactly a great plan. It would cause David all kinds of problems in the long run, and there is no indication that it was a plan given to him by God. Yet, in the midst of one of David’s greatest moments of despondency and desperation, God shows up. This time He shows up in the form of the “mighty men of valor.”

In this chapter we are given a detailed accounting of the tens of thousands of Israelite warriors from every tribe who defected to David’s side even while he was living with the enemy. This says much about their respect for David and indicates that God was a part of this plan. Here was David, living in enemy territory, as far from the throne of Israel as he could possibly get, and yet God is building his army for him. And not just any army. He is surrounding David with the best and the brightest, the strongest and the bravest. Every day a new batch of battle-hardened soldiers showed up on David’s doorstep. Don’t you think the first group were a shock to David? As a matter of fact, when they showed up, David thought they had come to capture him. He senses betrayal, and for good reason. It had happened before. But these men pledge their allegiance to David and indicate that they knew that God was with David and not Saul. With each passing day, David’s army grew. “Hardly a day went by without men showing up to help–it wasn’t long before his band seemed as large as God’s own army!” (1 Chronicles 12:22 MSG).

Even in the midst of the Philistine camp, God was confirming David’s future and preparing him for his eventual ascension to the throne. God was working in ways that David never would have dreamed. His desperate attempt to hide among the Philistines could not hide him from the will of God. God was going to finish what He had begun, and in a spectacular fashion. With this many men defecting to David, it is no wonder that Saul was so easily defeated in battle against the Philistines and took his own life. God had removed the greatest warriors from Saul and given them to David. God’s hand was on David. He was God’s hand-picked successor to Saul and nothing was going to prevent His will from being done.

In your worst moments do you tend to see the hand of God or do you simply see darkness and despair? God is there working. He is bringing into your life “mighty men of valor.” It could be in the form of an encouraging word from a friend. It could be a surprising answer to prayer. It could be a passage that you have read a thousand time that suddenly speaks to you in a fresh and exciting way. It could be by giving you an insight into an area of your life that He wants to work on. God is always at work in the lives of those He has chosen and loves. Even in our darkest days.

Father, thank You for this encouraging word. I want to look for you in each and every circumstance, because I know You are there. You are working behind the scenes in ways that are unexpected and sometimes unseen. But You are there. Let me see You today. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org



A Refresher Course.

“Saul died in disobedience, disobedient to GOD. He didn’t obey GOD’s words. Instead of praying, he went to a witch to seek guidance. Because he didn’t go to GOD for help, GOD took his life and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” ­– 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 MSG

For nine chapters the chronicler has painstakingly presented the genealogies of the twelves tribes of Israel. He has reminded them of their unique and rich heritage as God’s chosen people. They have returned from exile due to the grace and mercy of God. Chapter nine pictures a reinstituted priesthood and a revitalized sacrificial system at the temple in Jerusalem. This mention of the holy city reminds the people of their duty to worship God and Him alone. Jerusalem is also the city where the king resides. It is the place where David and Solomon had their palaces and conducted their reigns as the kings of Israel.

Now the writer is going to give the people a refresher course in how they got to where they are. He starts out in chapter 10 by revisiting the unflattering demise of Saul. He is going to juxtapose the reign of Saul with that of David and he does so by simply concentrating on Saul’s death. Chapter ten is virtually word for word what is recorded in 1 Samuel 31. What a contrast we seen in the life of Saul and that of David, the man after God’s own heart. Saul was the king appointed as a result of the people’s demand for a king just like all the other nations had. They got what they wanted. Someone who looked like a leader, but lacked the integrity and character that true godly leadership requires. Solomon was the king after the people’s heart. His name means “he who was requested.” But Saul had a problem. He refused to obey God and His prophet Samuel. Unlike David, Saul was not a man after God’s own heart. In fact, he really didn’t have a heart for God. Since Saul refused to listen to God, God reached the point where He stopped listening to Saul. God even chose Saul’s successor long before his life and his kingdom came to an end. God chose David.

The writer makes it clear that Saul died because of his own trespasses. He had sinned against God. Saul had refused to obey God and worship Him as God. In telling Saul’s story, the chronicler is telling the story of the people of Israel. They had been in exile all these years for similar reasons. They had failed to listen to and obey God. In fact, the very fact that Saul was ever on the throne goes back to the people’s stubborn insistence that they have a king – instead of being satisfied with God as their king.

The following chapters will contrast the faithfulness of David with the unfaithfulness of Saul. David was God’s choice for Israel. Because David was faithful, he reign was blessed. The book of Chronicles makes a repeated tie between blessing and faithfulness and judgment and disobedience. We can probably stand to listen to what the writer of Chronicles is trying to tell us. God is a holy God who demands that His followers live holy lives. But the good news it that He is not expecting us to manufacture this holiness on our own. He supplies all we need through the presence of His Holy Spirit and His written Word. We can live faithful lives and enjoy the blessings of God. We can live in obedience. We can be a people after God’s own heart. He has equipped us to do just that.

Father, may obedience mark our lives more than disobedience. May we be a people who turn to You and not the counterfeit gods of this world. We want to be faithful. We want to be pleasing to You. Thank You for making it possible through the indwelling power of Your Spirit and the truth found in Your Word. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org



One Nation, Under God.

“Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.” ­– 1 Chronicles 8:33 NLT

We finally reach the end of this lengthy list of genealogies as the writer provides a more detailed accounting of the tribe of Benjamin. But with that done, he has included the twelve tribes of Israel. In reality, he has left out the tribes of Dan and Zebulun. He had included the tribe of Levi and had dealt with the two halves of the tribe of Manasseh separately. So if he had included Dan and Zebulun, it would have added up to 14 tribes. So it seems that it was more important to the writer to keep intact the 12 tribes than worry about which ones got left out or included. But notice that he gave special emphasis to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin is covered in verses 6-12 of chapter 7, but then again in greater detail in all of chapter 8. Judah was also given more extensive coverage. Why? It seems that these two tribes held special significance because the first two kings of Israel came from them. Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin. David was of the tribe of Judah. Saul was the first king and the people’s choice. David was the second king and God’s choice.

But it seems that the chronicler is going out of his way to emphasize that God is the God of all the tribes of Israel. They had all been returned by God from exile in Babylon to the land of promise. Every person who read this account could trace back his lineage to one of these tribes. They could relate to the history of Saul and David. They all shared the same covenant-keeping God. God had a plan for all of Israel, not just Judah. But He was going to use Judah to establish His kingdom – in the future. From the tribe of Judah would come the Messiah.

By providing the lengthy genealogies, the writer is reminding the people of Israel of their significance in the world. They have a rich heritage and are each descendants of Abraham, and, as such, are the chosen people of God. This fact could have easily been forgotten after spending 70 years in exile. So God reminds them of who they are and from whence they have come. He has returned them to the land, and while things might not look so good at the moment, He is far from done.

Father, too often we forget our heritage. We forget that we are sons of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We live like we are exiles, living in a strange land and getting comfortable with the lifestyle of those around us. But like you did with the Israelites returning from Babylon, You remind us of our unique heritage. We are Your sons and daughters. We are Your children. And You have chosen us so that You might bless us. Let us never forget who we really are. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org



The King and the Priest.

“Only Aaron and his descendants served as priests. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense, and they performed all the other duties related to the Most Holy Place. They made atonement for Israel by following all the commands that Moses, the servant of God, had given them.” ­– 1 Chronicles 6:49 NLT

As the people of Israel once again stood on the land promised to them and provided for them by God, the writer of Chronicles wants to remind them of two important facts: The role of the king and the importance of the priesthood to their lives. In his careful, if not boring, list of genealogies, he has spent a great deal of time outlining the lineage of Judah, the tribe through which not only David the king and his descendants came, but through which the Messiah would come. Now he methodically presents the lineage of the tribe of Levi, the tribe appointed by God to serve as priests to Him. While the people have been in exile, the priesthood has effectively been suspended. They could only serve as long as Israel remained in the Promised Land, and as long as the temple where God’s presence dwelt remained standing. One of the most significant benefits of returning to the land was the reinstitution of the sacrificial system. This would have been suspended as long as the people were in exile. The priesthood was essential to the restoration of community life and the peoples’ covenant relationship with God. The priests and the Temple were central to life in Israel and had been missing for more than 70 years. This chapter reemphasizes their importance.

This list also reminds the people that it was God who had chosen Aaron and his sons to serve Him as priests. When God rescued the people out of captivity in Egypt, He had claimed the firstborn son as His by right. They were to be dedicated to His service for their lifetimes. But instead, God had chosen to allow the Levites to serve in their place. They were His hand-picked representatives and this chapter clearly indicates their importance in the covenant community.

Remember, this book was written to a people returning from Exile. Many, if not most, had been born in exile and were ignorant of the history and unique relationship that God had with the people of Israel. This is the writer’s attempt at reminding them of just how unique they were as a people. God was intimately involved in the history and daily life of the people of Israel and these newly released exiles needed to be reminded. Sometimes we need a refresher course on just how unique we are as the people of God. Tainted by the world and numbed by constant contact with the things of the world, we lose sight of the reality of our unique position as God’s chosen people. Christ is to serve as priest and king in our lives. He is our savior and sovereign Lord. He is the one we are to worship and obey. We are not like any other people group on earth. We have a High Priest who has offered the ultimate sacrifice for our sins – His own life. We have a King who rules and reigns from His throne in heaven and who is one day going to return to reestablish His rule here on earth. Those two facts should change the way we live and think.

Father, never let me forget the reality of the fact that Your Son reigns as king of my life and serves as the High Priest of my life. His sacrifice is what gives me access to the throne of God. His sovereignty and power give Him the right to rule over my life. He is the Son of David, the rightful heir to the throne. He is the great High Priest, the one who offered the final sacrifice for my sins. May I willingly obey Him. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org



Glimpses of Faith.

“…they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him.” ­– 1 Chronicles 5:20 NASB

More names. So many names that it is tempting to just give this section a quick, cursory reading and move on to more interesting parts of this book. But if you take the time and energy to wade through the lengthy list of difficult-to-pronounce names and confusing genealogical records, you stumble across a few important verses that give you a glimpse into the lives of a faithful few. Most of these individuals just remain names. We know little about them. But there is the occasional Jabez or the valiant sons of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. Jabez was an obscure individual who we know next to nothing about, but he is singled out by the author of the book as a man who prayed. He called out to God and God answered. He is an example of faith in the midst of a people who struggled with faith. Remember, the audience reading this book are coming back from 70 years in exile. They had been punished by God for their spiritual adultery. Jabez is a reminder to them of what their relationship to God should have been like. He asked God for blessing and abundance, requesting that God keep him from harm. We’re told that God granted his request. The sons of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were warriors who cried out to God in the day of battle and He answered their prayer – because they trusted God. They were doing what He told them to do, which was to remove the existing people from the Promised Land. They were being obedience and they were asking for His help. And He gave it.

The author also reminds the people what happened to Reuben because of his sin. As the firstborn of Jacob, he would have been in line to inherit all the blessings that come with that position, but he forfeited his rights because he had an adulterous affair with his father’s concubine. As a result, he was passed over, and his rights were passed on to his brother Judah. Jacob lost out on the greatest blessing because of his sin. His actions had lasting ramifications.

The sons of the half-tribe of Manasseh are also given as an example of what happens to those who are unfaithful. We are told that they “acted treacherously against the God of their fathers and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land” (1 Chronicles 5:25 NASB). So God allowed them to be taken into captivity. Their unfaithfulness resulted in their punishment.

So in these two chapters listing out the descendants of five of the tribes of Israel, we see glimpses of faith and faithlessness, obedience and disobedience, trust and distrust. While the majority of the people had turned their back on God, there were a few who faithfully served Him, trusted in Him, and were blessed by Him. And it could be so again!. God is looking for those who will serve Him faithfully. He stands ready to answer their prayers and to bless their lives. He wants to show Himself strong on behalf of those who place their faith and trust in Him. And the same is true today.

Father, I want to be like Jabez, who placed his faith and trust in You. I don’t want to be listed among those who were unfaithful and served other gods, turning away from the one true God. Give me a heart for You. I can’t manufacture it. You have to instill it in me through Your Holy Spirit. Make me increasingly dependent on You and less self-sufficient. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org



God Is Not Done Yet.

“Now these were the sons of David…” ­– 1 Chronicles 3:1 NASB

Remember, the book of Chronicles was written to a group of Jews returning from exile in Babylon where they had been for 70 years. They are suffering from an identity crisis, so the writer is reminding them of who they are and who God is. He is faithful. These boring genealogical lists mean little to us, but they would have been words of comfort to these people. Chapter three starts out with the descendants of David and traces them all the way into the restoration period in which these people found themselves. The truth is, David’s kingdom had come to en end the moment Jerusalem fell and the Israelites were taken into captivity in Babylon. Yet God had promised that David would always have a descendant on his throne. This promise is summarized in the book of 2 Samuel: “For when you die, I will raise up one of your descendants, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house––a temple––for my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13 NLT). It was partially fulfilled in Solomon, but will ultimately be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Part of the Davidic Covenant also promised Israel a permanent homeland. “And I have provided a permanent homeland for my people Israel, a secure place where they will never be disturbed. It will be their own land where wicked nations won’t oppress them as they did in the past” (2 Chronicles 7:10 NLT). They had lost their land for 70 years, but were now being returned to it. God had kept His promise. But this promise will also ultimately be fulfilled completely through the Messiah – Jesus Christ.

By tracing David’s line the writer was giving his original readers hope that God would fulfill His promises. The future did not depend ultimately on the decisions of Cyrus, king of the Persian Empire, but on the faithfulness of Yahweh (cf. Haggai 2:21-22). God is a covenant keeping God. He will do what He says He will do. Solomon was long gone. There was not king on David’s throne at this point. Many of the men who followed David as king had been godless leaders. Israel had done their part. They had not kept their side of the covenant. Yet God was keeping His. He had returned them to the land. He would restore them. But He was far from done. God will one day send His Son again to restore things completely. He will sit on David’s throne and rule in Jerusalem. He will fulfill every promise of God completely and fully. There is on name not on the list in this chapter, but we know who it is. Jesus Christ. He is the coming King!

Father, thank You for reminding me of Your plan. Sometimes things look bleak, but I can always count on the fact that You are in control and are working Your plan to perfection. I have nothing to fear. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org



What’s In A Name?

“Jesse’s first son was Eliab, his second was Abinadab, his third was Shimea, his fourth was Nethanel, his fifth was Raddai, his sixth was Ozem, and his seventh was David.” ­– 1 Chronicles 2:13-15 NLT

The first nine chapters of the 29 books of 1 Chronicles are genealogies. What’s up with that? Obviously, the author of the book had a reason for dedicating such time and space to these lists of names. Remember that that the book was written to those who had been in exile and were now returning to the land of promise. Many had never been there, but had been born in Babylon while in exile. These seemingly endless lists of genealogies were a reminder to them of their heritage. Dr. Thomas L. Constable, in his Notes on 1 Chronicles, offers this explanation.

“The writer evidently chose, under divine inspiration, to open his book with genealogies to help his readers appreciate their heritage and to tie themselves to Adam, Abraham, and David in particular. Adam was important as the head of the human race. Abraham was important because of the promises God gave him and his descendants in the Abrahamic
Covenant. David was important because of his role as Israel’s model king and because of the promises God gave him in the Davidic Covenant. This section shows Israel’s place among the nations. Both the Old and New Testaments open with genealogies, in Genesis, Matthew, and Luke.

“One of the major themes of Chronicles is that the Davidic dynasty would be the instrument through which God promised that salvation and blessing would come to Israel. It would also come through Israel to the whole world. The final Davidic king, Jesus Christ, was the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45) as well as the Person who would fulfill the
Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants completely.”

Can you imagine the sense of loss and confusion the people must have felt as they returned to the land after nearly 70 years in captivity? Many had long ago given up on ever returning. They had seen their fathers and mothers die in the land of Babylon. They had resigned themselves to the fact that they would also die in exile, never living to see their homeland. But now that they had returned, they had to be wondering what the future held. These genealogies provided them a reminder of God’s sovereign plan for their lives and of His faithfulness. He had not abandoned them. He was still going to keep His covenants to Abraham and David. The people of Israel would still be a blessing. David would still have a descendant sit on his throne, even though it had sat vacant for many years. All of this points to the coming Messiah. Jesus Christ would ultimately fulfill the promises of God made to Israel. Through Him all the nations of the world would be blessed. He will someday reign on earth as the rightful and righteous king of Israel.

Imagine the people reading through these lists of names. To us, they mean next to nothing, except for an occasional name like David, Boaz, or Judah. But for the people returning from exile, this would have been like looking at their family tree. They would have scanned the list to find the names of their ancestors. It would have provided a sense of connection. They were part of something much bigger than themselves. And while they may have been in exile, they were still connected to the lineage of God’s chosen people. So they could have hope that God was not done with them yet. The peoples’ sin of rebellion, which led to their exile, would not prevent God from keeping His covenant and completing His plan for His people.

Father, Your story is so much bigger than me. I sometimes think that it all revolves around me and that I am the star of the show. But I am just a bit player in Your play. I am thrilled that I have a part, but help me realize that You have a much larger objective than my happiness and satisfaction. You are fulfilling Your plan for mankind. You are redeeming the world. May I never lose sight of that great redemptive plan. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org