The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
2 Chronicles 4-7, Psalms 134, 136
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 5: Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people
Background Information: 2 Chronicles 4-7, Psalms 134, 136
Remember, Chronicles may seem to simply repeat what you have read in Samuel or Kings, but it was written at a specific time for a specific purpose. Chronicles was written to Israel after they had returned from exile and were now back in the land of promise. They had a sense that the covenant promises of God that were made to Abraham, Moses, and David had yet to fully come to pass. Where was this great king, whose kingdom would endure forever and who would bring the Kingdom of God to all nations? As the people looked around at their current condition of a diminished nation and a rebuilt temple that was nowhere close to the glory of Solomon’s temple, they were puzzled and confused. It had to be much like Israel waiting 400 years in Egypt for the promises made to Abraham to come to pass. Can you imagine living your entire life believing God has made a promise, waiting for its fulfillment, and seeing life go on day after day as if nothing is ever going to happen? They needed to be reminded of their own history and of God’s history of working among them. They needed to be reminded of God’s fulfilled promises in the past so that they would continue to hope in his promises that were yet in their future. The promise of an eternal kingdom ruled by a son of David is repeated in 2 Chronicles 6:16. For them, the ultimate fulfillment of this promise was future; for us it is past. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, ultimately on his way to the cross, the people shouted “Hosanna,” which means “Lord save us!” This Jesus was the Son of David, the promised eternal King. Finally, he had arrived!
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9
Now we wait for the return of the King. Days go on much as they have before. Many have said, “look, the end is near (or here)!” Then years go by, we grow older, and people around us die. But human history is not moving forward in an undirected and meaningless way. God is the Lord of History, Jesus has come, and Jesus will return. In the meantime, God calls us, as he has always called his people…be found faithful! See God at work in the world around you. See God at work in your own heart. God’s promises have been fulfilled, they are being fulfilled, and they will be fulfilled.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Lift up these upcoming summer events—Kids Camp, the Men’s Thing, and the Women’s Event—and ask that they would be more than just gatherings. Pray they would be opportunities for the gospel conversations and that the Gospel would be heard, received, and embraced.
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.