The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
1 Chronicles 23-26
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 5: Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people
Background Information: 1 Chronicles 23-26
Remember Ezra is writing all this after the Kingdom had fallen. The people have gone into exile and are now returning in waves. Ezra has a theological purpose in his historical narrative. The Covenant promises were broken, which led to exile, and now the Israelites must be reminded that God’s plan for his people had not changed. They are reminded yet again to be faithful. I hope you are getting a clear picture of how patient God truly was (and is) with people. As David is handing off the kingdom to Solomon, his priority is that his son would build the temple that he had been unable to build. He uses his power to accumulate the vast amounts of materials necessary for the magnificent project. Worship was now being consolidated in Jerusalem at the Temple, and a huge array of personnel were required to keep the Temple complex and all the many ceremonies and sacrifices running. There were priests, bakers, security guards, accountants, judges, musicians, and so many other duties. Twenty-four thousand Levites performed the various Temple duties. The entire temple complex was an area of about thirty-seven acres. It was a complex, daily, logistical undertaking. Three times a year the people were required to journey to the Temple from wherever they lived. Consider the complex rituals, sacrifices, roles and responsibilities, not to mention the many laws that were required of God’s people to be in right relationship with him. Even then the complex system did not work, because it could not work. All that complexity pointed forward to the simplicity of the New Covenant. Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will return. Rejoice in the simplicity of having a right relationship with God through faith in Christ our Lord.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask God to prepare the hearts of the kids signing up right now for the week-long camp in San Diego this summer. The camp will be led by youth from River.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.