01 May

01 May                                                                                                            

1 Chronicles 3-5

1 Chronicles 3

The tables now continue to deal with Judah, but have special reference to David. The names of nineteen of his sons are given. Six of them were born in Hebron, and four were the sons of Bathshua. There were nine others. From these nineteen, one, Solomon, is selected; and the descent is traced through him, through the kings of Judah, and right on into the period of captivity.

The peculiar quality of the Book of Chronicles is very evidently marked in this chapter in that in the reference to Solomon and his three brothers no mention whatever is made of the sin of David. They are spoken simply of as the sons of Bathshua, who is, of course, Bathsheba. Indeed, nowhere in the books are any of the sins of David referred to, except the sin of numbering the people. If, as is perhaps likely, these books were written by Ezra, we can perfectly understand these omissions. In the return of the people to their land he was supremely conscious of the government of God and the unbroken continuity of His progress toward the fulfillment of purpose. From this standpoint it was not his business to speak of the sins of the chosen instruments but, rather, simply to deal with the channels through which the divine procession moved.

1 Chronicles 4

Here another line from Judah is traced, and must be viewed in the light of the royalty manifest in David. It is the story of the multiplication and settlement of the people who became workers in the great kingdom. Thus we have the descent of such as became workers in fine linen, of the potters, and also of the king's workmen.

Two verses of this section tell the story of one man, and of how he, by prayer and obedience, obtained the favor of God. Incidentally, the story is full of interest. In all likelihood, Jabez was a nephew of Caleb. For some reason his mother had given him this name, which means "bringeth sorrow." Perhaps his knowledge of the meaning of the name had cast a shadow over all his life. But, as we shall see, the man with the ill-omened name staved off ill-fortune by his prayer. This would seem to be perfectly correct in the light of the fact that in his prayer he asked "that it be not to my sorrow!"

The chief beauty of the story is its revelation of God's interest in individuals. While through these genealogies, and indeed through all the history, we are occupied with those connected with government and the procession of events leading to universal issues, it is refreshing to be halted by the story of one man who took his need directly to God and obtained the answer of God's grace.

1 Chronicles 5

The worth principally attracting attention in this chapter are those connected with the name of Reuben. Here the ultimate light flames on the record: "the Prince," toward whose advent everything moves, is named.

Yet He does not come through the line of birthright. The birthright was given to Joseph, while the Prince came through Judah. In this connection also the principle of divine selection flames out. The actual firstborn of the sons of Israel was Reuben, but he, through sin, forfeited the birthright, which, as we have seen, passed to Joseph.

In these occasional gleams of light on the progress of events, nothing is clearer than the revelation of the all- seeing God, whose selections are based on His own infinite justice. Such light is at once the occasion of joy and fear in the heart. Confidence is born of the certainty of the divine method. This very assurance must have the effect of solemnizing the heart as it makes clear that no supposed right obtains for one moment in the economy of God if its conditions be violated by the disobedience of men.